Finding Manny

A documentary inspired by the book ‘Carved in Stone’ — a personal memoir of Holocaust survivor Manny Drukier.

“Masterfully, he moves the narrative from the past to the present and back again.”

Winnipeg Free Press

“His final moments with his mother and sister, and his father ... are numbingly, achingly beautiful.”

Quill and Quire

“The intelligent and restrained way in which he shares his tale gives us a portrait of the survivor as a truly admirable person.”

Books in Canada

Synopsis

The chance discovery of an online article sends a Holocaust survivor on an unexpected trip to visit the orphanage where he was rescued to after the war.

Manny Drukier narrowly escaped the war by jumping from a “death train” at age 16, finding refuge at a unique home for orphans and displaced children. 71 years later, Manny—who lives in Toronto—is tracked down by a German researcher who has dedicated a decade of her life to locating the surviving children from the home. She invites Manny to return to the orphanage, which has since become a grade school, to share his story with the next generation. Manny must now revisit the places of his darkest memories, to reconcile the past and educate the future.

Finding Manny shows the inspiring connection between an Indersdorf child and the researcher who’s been scouring the world for him.

Our Purpose

“As a 14-year-old, I had not wanted to believe that these horrible things were happening.”

“The past extends into the future, and I am grateful for the opportunity to hear the perspective of a survivor.”

“It was an important way to experience history lessons up close. Manny shared very authentically and emotionally about his life!

Students attending Manny's presentation in Germany

By sharing Manny’s inspiring story and its powerful theme of optimism—our mission is to make “never again” have meaning for the next generation.