‘UNBROKEN’ (2025) Netflix honors Holocaust Remembrance Day with release of astounding doc

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Beth Lane’s captivating documentary, UnBroken, tells the story of seven siblings who survived Nazi Germany. Following the arrest of their hero mother and previously imprisoned Catholic father, marked for a concentration camp, Lane’s mother and siblings were smuggled to safety in the back of a truck in the dead of night by their farmer neighbor. A journey of unbelievable resiliency, Lane retraces their steps from Berlin to America and into the pages of history.

unbroken animationLane pieces together the Weber children’s story using archival footage, family photos, letters of eldest brother Alfons, and the foggy memories of the five remaining sisters. She travels to Berlin, stopping at each location where the siblings were hidden and nurtured. Lane discovers her grandfather’s original fascist concentration camp papers and the entry log of all seven children in a nunnery, finding that her mother Bela’s instinct about her middle name was correct.

UNBROKEN-motw-no-logo-800x445Misfit delivers enchanting line-drawn animation to fill in the visual gaps. Aaron Soffin and Dina Guttmann’s editing is award-worthy. Jonathan Snipes’ score is haunting. The film plays out like historical fiction from one moment to the next.

unbroken teensOne particularly intriguing moment happens as Beth runs into a small group of young people listening to music outside the siblings’ old apartment. After she tells them what the film is about, she asks if they would hide her if history repeats itself. Their honesty will burn into your memory. The echoes of trauma and triumph rear their ugly heads in many ways, but the knowledge that in saving seven siblings, there are now 72 thriving Weber family members is something to celebrate.

unbroken searchThe similarities to the systematic dismantling of the United States’ democracy should serve as a stark warning, but UnBroken also shines a light on the goodness of the human heart. One phrase from the film perfectly captures the message. “When you’re faced with adversity, who do you become?”

Here’s the link to the trailer on YouTube
 
 

Streaming on Netflix today!

 

About the film:  
UNBROKEN is the miraculous true story of the seven Weber siblings, ages 6-18, who evaded certain capture and death, and ultimately escaped Nazi Germany relying solely on their youthful bravado and the kindness of strangers, following their mother’s incarceration and murder at Auschwitz. 
 
After being hidden in a laundry hut by a benevolent German farmer, the children spent two years on their own in war torn Germany. Emboldened by their father’s mandate that they ‘always stay together,’ the children used their own cunning instincts to fight through hunger, loneliness, rape, bombings and fear. Climactically separated from their father, the siblings are forced to declare themselves as orphans in order to escape to a new life in America. Unbeknownst to them, this salvation would become what would finally tear them apart, not to be reunited for another 40 years. 
 
Filmmaker Beth Lane, daughter of the youngest Weber sibling, embarks on a quest to retrace their steps, seeking answers to long-held questions about her family’s survival. The film examines the journey of the Weber family as told through conversations with living siblings – now in their eighties and nineties – while Beth and her crew road trip across Germany, following the courageous, tumultuous, and harrowing path taken by her family over seventy years ago.
 
UnBroken is Beth Lane’s feature directorial debut, and it is both a professional milestone and a personal quest to immortalize the incredible story of the Weber siblings’ survival as the only family of seven Jewish siblings living in Nazi Germany known to have survived and emigrated together. 
 
The film had its world premiere at the 23rd Heartland International Film Festival, where it was awarded Best Documentary Feature Film. It also won the Audience Choice award at the River Run Int’l Film FestivalJulien Dubuque Int’l Film Festival and The Berkshire Int’l Film Festival
 
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Saturn Awards Nominations Have Been Announced!

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The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films has announced the nominations for this year’s 41st Annual Saturn Awards and we have your list of nominees below!

On the movie side, Captain America: The Winter Soldier leads the nominations this year with a total of 11, including Best Comic Book-to-Film Release with  Interstellar close behind with 10 nominations. Guardians of the Galaxy chimes in with 9 nominations.

On the television, The Walking Dead leads with 7 nominations with Agent Carter and The Flash both receiving three each.

New this year is Best Superhero Adaptation Television Series, a special category to consider television series which are derived from comic book super heroes! An award sure to spark great debate amongst the legions of fans of these shows.

This year’s winners will be announced at the 41st Annual Saturn Awards, which takes place on June 25.

MOVIES

Best Comic Book-to-Film Release:

  • The Amazing Spider-Man 2
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier
  • Guardians of the Galaxy
  • X-Men: Days of Future Past

Best Science Fiction Film Release:

  • Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
  • Edge of Tomorrow
  • Godzilla
  • The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
  • Interstellar
  • The Zero Theorem

Best Fantasy Film Release:

  • Birdman
  • The Grand Budapest Hotel
  • The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
  • Into the Woods
  • Maleficent
  • Paddington

Best Horror Film Release:

  • Annabelle
  • The Babadook
  • Dracula Untold
  • Horns
  • Only Lovers Left Alive
  • The Purge: Anarchy

Best Thriller Film Release:

  • American Sniper
  • The Equalizer
  • Gone Girl
  • The Guest
  • The Imitation Game
  • Nightcrawler

Best Action / Adventure Film Release:

  • Exodus: Gods and Kings
  • Inherent Vice
  • Lucy
  • Noah
  • Snowpiercer
  • Unbroken

Best Actor in a Film:

  • Tom Cruise – Edge of Tomorrow
  • Chris Evans – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
  • Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler
  • Michael Keaton – Birdman
  • Matthew McConaughey – Interstellar
  • Chris Pratt  – Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Dan Stevens – The Guest

Best Actress in a Film:

  • Emily Blunt – Edge of Tomorrow
  • Essie Davis – The Babadook
  • Anne Hathaway – Interstellar
  • Angelina Jolie – Maleficent
  • Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
  • Rosemund Pike – Gone Girl

Best Supporting Actor in a Film:

  • Richard Armitage  – The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
  • Josh Brolin – Inherent Vice
  • Samuel L. Jackson – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
  • Anthony Mackie – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
  • Andy Serkis – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
  • J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress in a Film:

  • Jessica Chastain – Interstellar
  • Scarlett Johansson – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
  • Evangeline Lily – The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
  • Rene Russo – Nightcrawler
  • Emma Stone – Birdman
  • Meryl Streep – Into the Woods

Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Film:

  • Elle Fanning – Maleficent
  • MacKenzie Foy – Interstellar
  • Chloe Grace Moretz – The Equalizer
  • Tony Revolori – The Grand Budapest Hotel
  • Kodi Smit-McPhee – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
  • Noah Wiseman – The Babadook

Best Film Director:

  • Alejandro G. Innarritu – Birdman
  • James Gunn – Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Doug Liman – Edge of Tomorrow
  • Christopher Nolan – Interstellar
  • Matt Reeves – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
  • Joe Russo, Anthony Russo – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
  • Bryan Singer – X-Men: Days of Future Past

Best Film Writing:

  • Captain America: Winter Soldier – Stephen McFeely, Christopher Markus
  • Edge of Tomorrow – Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth
  • The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson
  • Guardians of the Galaxy – James Gunn, Nicole Perlman
  • The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro
  • Whiplash – Damien Chazelle

Best Film Editing:

  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Jeffrey Ford, Matthew Schmidt
  • Edge of Tomorrow – James Herbert, Laura Jennings
  • Guardians of the Galaxy – Fred Raskin, Hughes Winborne, Craig Wood
  • Interstellar – Lee Smith
  • Unbroken – William Goldenberg, Tim Squyres
  • X-Men: Days of Future Past – John Ottman

Best Film Production Design:

  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Peter Wenham
  • Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – James Chinlund
  • The Grand Budapest Hotel – Adam Stockhausen
  • Guardians of the Galaxy – Charles Wood
  • Interstellar – Nathan Crowley
  • Into the Woods – Dennis Gassner

Best Film Music:

  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Henry Jackman
  • Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Michael Giacchino
  • Godzilla – Alexandre Desplat
  • The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – Howard Shore
  • How to Train Your Dragon 2 – John Powell
  • Interstellar – Hans Zimmer

Best Film Costume:

  • Dracula Untold – Ngila Dickson
  • Exodus: Gods and Kings – Janty Yates
  • Guardians of the Galaxy – Alexandra Byrne
  • Into the Woods – Colleen Atwood
  • Maleficent – Anna B. Sheppard
  • X-Men: Days of Future Past – Louise Mingenbach

Best Film Make-Up:

  • Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Bill Terezakis, Lisa Love
  • Dracula Untold  – Mark Coulier, Daniel Phillips
  • Guardians of the Galaxy – David White, Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou
  • The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – Peter King, Rick Findlater, Gino Acevedo
  • Into the Woods – Peter King, Matthew Smith
  • X-Men: Days of Future Past – Adrien Morot, Norma Hill-Patton

Best Film Special/Visual Effects:

  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Dan Daleeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill, Dan Sudick
  • Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett, Erik Winquist
  • Edge of Tomorrow – Gary Brozenich, Nick Davis, Jonathan Fawkner, Matthew Rouleau
  • Guardians of the Galaxy – Stephane Ceretti, Nicholas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner, Paul Corbould
  • The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, R. Christopher White
  • Interstellar – Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter, Scott Fisher

Best Independent Film Release:

  • Grand Piano
  • I, Origins
  • A Most Violent Year
  • The One I Love
  • The Two Faces of January
  • Whiplash

Best International Film Release:

  • Bird People
  • Calvary
  • Force Majeur
  • Mood Indigo
  • The Railway Man
  • The Theory of Everything

Best Animated Film Release:

  • Big Hero 6
  • The Boxtrolls
  • How to Train Your Dragon 2
  • The Lego Movie
  • The Wind Rises

TELEVISION

Best Network Television Series:

  • The Blacklist
  • The Following
  • Grimm
  • Hannibal
  • Person of Interest
  • Sleepy Hollow

Best Syndicated / Cable Television Series:

  • 12 Monkeys
  • American Horror Story: Freak Show
  • Continuum
  • Falling Skies
  • Salem
  • The Strain
  • The Walking Dead

Best Limited Run Television Series:

  • Bates Motel
  • From Dusk Till Dawn
  • Game of Thrones
  • The Last Ship
  • The Librarians
  • Outlander

Best Superhero Adaptation Television Series:

  • Agent Carter
  • Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
  • Arrow
  • Constantine
  • The Flash
  • Gotham

Best Youth-Oriented Television Series:

  • The 100
  • Doctor Who
  • Pretty Little Liars
  • Supernatural
  • Teen Wolf
  • The Vampire Diaries

Best Actor in a Television Series:

  • Hugh Dancy – Hannibal
  • Grant Gustin – The Flash
  • Andrew Lincoln – The Walking Dead
  • Tobias Menzies – Outlander
  • Mads Mikkelsen – Hannibal
  • Noah Wyle – Falling Skies

Best Actress in a Television Series:

  • Hayley Atwell – Agent Carter
  • Caitronia Balfe – Outlander
  • Vera Farmiga – Bates Motel
  • Jessica Lange – American Horror Story: Freak Show
  • Rachel Nichols – Continuum
  • Rebecca Romjin – The Librarians

Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series:

  • David Bradley – The Strain
  • Laurence Fishburne – Hannibal
  • Sam Heughan – Outlander
  • Erik Knudsen – Continuum
  • Norman Reedus – The Walking Dead
  • Richard Samuel – The Strain

Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series:

  • Emilia Clarke – Game of Thrones
  • Jenna Coleman – Doctor Who
  • Caroline Dhavernas – Hannibal
  • Lexa Doig – Continuum
  • Emily Kinney – The Walking Dead
  • Melissa McBride – The Walking Dead

Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series:

  • Camren Bicondova – Gotham
  • Maxim Knight – Falling Skies
  • Tyler Posey – Teen Wolf
  • Chandler Riggs – The Walking Dead
  • Holly Taylor – The Americans
  • Maisie Williams – Game of Thrones

Best Guest Performance in a Television Series:

  • Dominic Cooper – Agent Carter
  • Neil Patrick Harris – American Horror Story: Freak Show
  • John Larroquette – The Librarians
  • Wentworth Miller – The Flash
  • Michael Pitt – Hannibal
  • Andrew J. West – The Walking Dead

HOME ENTERTAINMENT:

Best DVD/BD Release:

  • Beneath (IFC Film Release)
  • Blue Ruin
  • Odd Thomas
  • Ragnarok
  • White Bird in a Blizzard
  • Wolf Creek 2

Best DVD/BD Special Edition Release:

  • Alexander: The Ultimate Cut
  • The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition
  • Nightbreed: The Director’s Cut
  • Once Upon a Time in America: Extended Director’s Cut
  • Sorcerer
  • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition

Best DVD/BD Television Release:

  • Batman: The Complete Television Series
  • Hannibal: Season 2
  • Merlin: The Complete Series
  • Spartacus: The Complete Series
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 7
  • Twin Peaks: The Entire Mystery
  • Wizards and Warriors: The Complete Series

Best DVD/BD Collection Release:

  • The Exorcist: The Complete Anthology
  • Halloween: The Complete Collection
  • Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection
  • Steven Spielberg Director’s Collection
  • Toho Godzilla Collection
  • Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30 Film Collection

LIVE STAGE PRODUCTION:

Best Local Live Stage Production:

  • Damn Yankees (3-D Theatricals)
  • Ghost Brothers of Darkland County (Saban Theatre)
  • The Last Confession (Ahmanson Theatre)
  • Pippin (Segerstrom Center for the Arts)
  • Ragtime (3-D Theatricals)
  • Stoneface: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Buster Keaton (Pasadenia Playhouse)
  • The Wizard of Oz (Segerstrom Center for the Arts)