‘The Optimist’ Confronts Rising Antisemitism and Holocaust Skepticism, Producer Says
The producer of a new film about a Holocaust survivor says she hopes it educates the public at a time of rising antisemitism and growing Holocaust denial.
That film, The Optimist, follows the story of Herbert, a Jewish survivor who has long concealed his past in Auschwitz from his family, but slowly opens up about his escape from the Nazis to a teen, Abby, who carries regrets about her own past. Stephen Lang portrays Herbert.
It lands in select theaters on March 11 and 15 and is based on the true story of Herbert Heller, a Holocaust survivor who spent the final years of his life talking to school groups about the millions of Jews who were killed at the hands of the Nazis. He died in 2021.
The film is a passion project for producer Jeanine Thomas, who devoted more than a decade of her life to making it.
“I met Herbert in 2014, and I learned that he had escaped Auschwitz at the age of 15, and I … asked as many questions as I could,” Thomas told Crosswalk Headlines. “And he really enjoyed having somebody that wasn't in his family to tell this stuff to – because for his family, he really wanted to stay dad, and he didn't want them to feel pity for him. And so I think he liked just opening up to me.
“He asked me to get him talks in schools. And I watched him speak to these students in schools, and the effect he had on them. I said, ‘Wow, this needs to be a film.’”
Abby (Elsie Fisher), Thomas said, represents the many children and teens Herbert influenced over the years. The producer added the character in hopes of reaching a generation that is increasingly skeptical of the Holocaust. For example, a 2023 Economist/YouGov poll found that 20 percent of Americans ages 18–29 agreed with the statement, “The Holocaust is a myth,” while another 30 percent said they were unsure.
“You watch this film, and I don't think you can walk out of there going, ‘This is a lie.’ So it shifts everything. And I think in that shift, it can also affect antisemitism in a pretty big way,” Thomas said. “And the thing I love about it – it's such a non-divisive film. The woman who saved Herbert when he got out of the war is Christian. Abby, who he spends a lot of time with in the film, is not Jewish.
The film, she said, is “about love and not fear – and I love that.”
The movie’s name is derived from Heller's positive demeanor.
“It's impactful,” Thomas said of Heller’s story. “We need more things like this. We need more media that's about growth and change and love.”
The film is unrated but would likely be considered PG-13 for thematic elements and mild language.
Related Article
7 Reasons Christians Should Care about Antisemitism
Photo Credit: ©Trafalgar
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published February 25, 2026.
