Young film-maker supports Holocaust survivor's pledge

A holocaust survivor's promise to ensure people hear of the horror of Auschwitz has led a young Teesside University film-maker to play a part in that pledge.

Final year BA (Hons) Television and Film Production student Robin Pepper contacted Iby Knill after reading her book, to ask if he could make a film about her.

And the resulting documentary, based on Iby’s story, is to be added to the archives at the Auschwitz Museum in Poland.

Robin, 21, from Northallerton, said: 'Iby was born in Czechoslovakia where she was excluded from school for being Jewish. She later fled to Hungary, where she was eventually arrested and taken to Auschwitz.

'One of Iby’s most moving stories related to a promise she made to a twin girl while in Auschwitz. She promised she would tell the world what she had seen. It’s what is still motivating her today.'

Robin made the film with help from Teesside University colleagues Mark Oxley, 25, and Ian Orwin, 21, both from Middlesbrough, who are completing the same degree. All three travelled to film at Auschwitz and also Budapest, where Iby was captured before being sent to the concentration camp.

Robin said: 'It’s been a real journey, from meeting Iby before we started filming, to interviewing her and travelling to Poland and Hungary to film. The sheer size of Auschwitz-Birkenau really hits you, it was really quite disturbing.

'It’s an honour knowing that we’re now playing a part in helping Iby fulfil her promise to tell the world her story.'

Iby who now lives in Leeds, said: 'Promises are made to be kept. The promise I made in July 1944 to tell what had happened lay buried for many years while I got on with 'ordinary' life.

'I eventually wrote a book about it, but it was while working with Robin on his film, his sensitivity and understanding, his ability to pick out the salient points, that I felt that I was fulfiling that promise - to make young people aware of the dangers that the dehumanisation, denigration and differentiation of people can lead to.'

Before starting work on his film, Robin completed a placement with production company True North. He said: 'A lot of their work is factual, which further grew my interest in making a documentary. I’ve always had an interest in factual television and the University helped me to get a placement with True North, which led to several months work over the summer.'

Lucy Jolly, Programme Leader BA (Hons) TV & Film Production, in the University’s School of Arts & Media, said: 'Robin organised the trip, researching it meticulously and booking a guide to take them round Auschwitz so they were able to film in areas not open to the general public.

'Auschwitz have asked for a copy of the film when it is finished for their archives so they can show it there and a museum in Budapest has also asked to use the film as part of their collection. Robin also hopes to get the film onto the festival circuit.'

She added: 'Robin really has gone the extra mile to make this film happen. It's great when our students are so motivated that they will put in this amount of effort for their projects. It’s exactly the sort of thing which makes them stand out to potential employers in the television and film industry.'

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Watch the trailer for Robin's film