JIFF: Anna and the Egyptian Doctor

Unveiling the extraordinary story of Mohammad Helmy, an Egyptian doctor who, posing as Nazi supporter, rescued Anna, a Jewish girl in Nazi Berlin.

"The thrilling and at times heart-stopping account of a remarkable but largely unknown story of bravery – and bluffing” — The Times of Israel

Unveiling the extraordinary story of Mohammad Helmy, an Egyptian doctor who, posing as Nazi supporter, rescued Anna, a Jewish girl in Nazi Berlin. In 2013, Dr. Helmy posthumously became the first and only Arab recognized as “Righteous Among the Nations” by the state of Israel but the award was refused by his family.

Mixing animation with live footage, the documentary joins Helmy’s nephew, Dr. Kotby, who takes a huge risk by accepting the honorary award, going against the Egyptian consensus of those around him. Dr. Kotby is the first Arab to talk about the Holocaust on film. Meanwhile, Anna’s daughter embarks on a journey to meet Dr. Kotby ahead of the award ceremony.

Rating

Unclass15

Duration

76 min

Language

Hebrew, German, Arabic (English subtitles)

Director

Taliya Finkel