In 2019, LA-based playwright Lisa Kenner Grissom met 97-year-old Holocaust survivor Fania Brantsovsky while traveling to Vilnius, Lithuania on The Wallis Annenberg Helix Fellowship. On a hot afternoon in a Soviet-style apartment, Lisa looked directly into her piercing blue eyes as she shared stories of survival as a Jewish resistance fighter—a partisan.

 

The time spent with Fania was brief, but the impact was indelible. When Lisa returned home, she knew she had to bring these little-known stories of Jewish resistance to light—specifically, stories of Jewish female resistance. Lisa knew she had to spend more time with Fania, in order to share a nuanced portrayal of her experience.

 

Lisa's goal was to return sooner than later, but the world had other plans. The pandemic hit, and the world became more chaotic and unsafe. Almost three years later, Lisa returned to Vilnius in August with an all-female crew to meet with Fania, now 100 years old—and to follow in her footsteps. We visited the location of the ghetto gate from where she escaped, the apartment courtyard where her family lived in the ghetto, and the partisan fort where she lived in the forest.

 

We could not have done this without your support.

 

What we learned is...the work is just beginning. We are sourcing additional interviews from leading scholars in the field, descendants of Jewish partisan fighters, and perhaps most importantly—generations of individuals who were impacted by meeting Fania over her 30-year career as a beloved tour guide.

 

We received small grants from the non-profits Reboot, The Puffin Foundation, and Yiddishkayt; however, we need additional funds to capture the footage required to create this lasting piece of history—and to tell more of Fania's important story.

 

Donations go directly toward equipment rentals and costs associated with filming.

 

Any donation is greatly appreciated, and no amount is too small.

 

Please feel free to reach out for more information or with any questions.

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Thank you so much for your support!