Almasa & Anneli
Yugoslav Wars Research Cluster
‘Almasa’s Story’ – Official Trailer from Yugoslav Wars Research Cluster
The official trailer for the upcoming documentary short film ‘Almasa’s Story’ is now available to view on our SCVN YouTube channel. Filmed in Sarajevo and directed by Bojan Hadžiabdić, ‘Almasa’s Story’ features Almasa Salihović, a child survivor of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, and graphic artist Anneli Furmark, who spent a year interviewing Almasa to create a graphic novel based on her lived experiences during the genocide.
Almasa was six years old when Bosnian Serb forces overran the UN ‘safe area’ of Srebrenica. More than 8,000 men and boys were killed in one of the most violent chapters in European history since World War II. As part of their year-long collaboration, Anneli met with Almasa in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and together they visited locations from Almasa’s past, including the village of Potočari, where she lost her older brother, Abdulah. ‘Almasa’s Story’ bears witness to this journey through the physical and emotional landscapes of a history both deeply personal and universally significant.
Stills from ‘Almasa’s Story’ directed by Bojan Hadžiabdić
Today, Almasa works at the Srebrenica Memorial Center, an organization ‘committed to preserving the history of the genocide in Srebrenica as well as combatting the forces of ignorance and hatred which make genocide possible’.
The full documentary short film will be released on the SCVN YouTube channel in 2026.
More information about the genocide and the graphic novel can be found on the Yugoslav Wars Research Cluster page.
The Wiener Library hosts film premiere of ‘Why We Dance’ and panel with Research Cluster Co-Leads – Oct 23, 2025
On October 23, SCVN’s project partner the Wiener Library is hosting a talk to explore how graphic novels have proven to be a powerful medium for sharing stories of the Holocaust and other genocides and mass atrocities.
A panel discussion will reveal those lessons are currently being applied in the creation of new survivor-centered graphic novels about the Holocaust and the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Drawing on the expertise of three of the SCVN’s Research Cluster Co-Leads, Dr. Erin Jesse, Dr. Fransiska Louwagie and Dr. Alexander Korb, the talk will showcase the potential of the graphic novel medium to portray survivor stories. The researchers will discuss how the project works with artists and survivors to create new educational approaches.
The evening will include the public premiere of our short film, ‘Why We Dance’, that has been made by filmmaker Marc Ellison about the team’s current co-creative work with Rwandan genocide survivor Jerome Irankunda and graphic novelist Michel Kichka (the son of a Holocaust survivor).
Event Details
Venue: The Wiener Holocaust Library (London, UK)
Date: October 23, 2025
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm (GMT+1)
Visit the Wiener Holocaust Library main website for more information and registration:
https://wienerholocaustlibrary.org/event/project-talk-why-comics-telling-survivor-stories-through-graphic-novels
Trailer of ‘Why We Dance’:
‘Why We Dance’ – New trailer from Rwanda Research Cluster
The trailer for the upcoming documentary short film, ‘Why We Dance’, has just been released and is available to view on the SCVN YouTube channel. Filmed and directed by Marc Ellison, it features conversations between Jerome Irankunda, a survivor of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, and Michel Kichka, an artist who is currently creating a graphic novel about Jerome’s life and experiences during and after the genocide. The film shows the trust that develops between Michel and Jerome as they discuss Jerome’s experience fleeing his home town when he was only six. Now a community leader and educator, Jerome also speaks about the ordinary acts of resistance that he hopes define his life and will influence the life of his children.
For more information about Jerome and Michel’s collaboration, please visit our Rwanda Research Cluster page. Our SCVN YouTube channel also has more details about the trailer and upcoming film:
Dorothy & Natasha
Turtle Island Research Cluster
Jerome & Michel
Rwanda Research Cluster
Filming with Yezidi Survivor for Iraq Documentary – July 2025
After thoughtful consideration, our Yezidi survivor Jilan (not her real name), decided to participate anonymously in the documentary film about her collaboration with the graphic artist, Birgit Weyhe. The filming took place on July 1 and 2 and Filmmaker Olaf Markmann and Research Consultant Leyla Ferman coordinated and outlined a filming schedule. The first day started with Birgit’s art studio in Hamburg to focus on the process and partnership between graphic novelist Birgit and the Yezidi survivor. The second day was filmed at our project partner, the Bergen-Belsen Memorial site, as it serves as a place of remembrance (see below).
Filming at the Bergen-Belsen Memorial on July 2, 2025. Photo credit: Kjell Anderson.
The challenge was to respect the anonymity of the Yezidi survivor while simultaneously achieving a sense of closeness to the subject and the broader community. The approach to filming included scenes filmed in closed and open spaces, reflecting this duality.
In addition to Olaf and Leyla, Research Cluster Co-Lead, Kjell Anderson joined for off-camera interviews with the survivor, to help us to better understand their experiences and potentially be included in the project archive.
Filming at the Bergen-Belsen Memorial (top left) and at Birgit’s studio in Hamburg (top right & bottom) and team photo of Leyla Ferman, Birgit Weyhe and Kjell Anderson in July, 2025. Photo credit: Kjell Anderson and Elif Eker.
Learn more about the collaboration and Jilan’s story on the Iraq Research Cluster Page.
Turtle Island Research Cluster wraps up filming for documentary short
The Turtle Island Research Cluster has completed filming their short documentary film, ‘Kokum Dorothy’s Story’, directed by Andy Rutter. The film features conversations between residential school survivor Dorothy (Sekan) Visser (nee Whiskeyjack, Cree) and Métis illustrator Natasha Donovan as they discuss their upcoming graphic novel, ‘We Can Still Sing and Dance: Kokum Dorothy’s Story.’ More information and photos from the filming can be found on UBC’s Pop Culture Cluster website here.
Natasha Donovan (Métis, left) showing Dorothy Visser (Cree, right) the final pages (May, 2025). Photo credit: Elizabeth Nijdam.
‘A Rose in Plain Sight’ – Trailer is out!
We are thrilled to announce the premiere trailer for ‘A Rose in Plain Sight’, a documentary short directed by Chorong Kim, set for release in 2025. This film offers an intimate glimpse into the creative and emotional journey of collaboration between Holocaust child survivor Rose Lipszyc, graphic artist Miriam Libicki, and editors Mark Celinscak and Charlotte Schallié.
At the heart of the documentary is Rose Lipszyc’s story of survival through the Holocaust. Born in Poland, Rose was ten years old when the Nazi invasion of 1939 irrevocably changed her world. In a series of interviews, Rose shares her testimony, reflecting on her escape during deportation in 1942 and her experiences as a forced laborer in Nazi Germany.
‘You’d be surprised how much you survive.’ Rose Lipszyc
The film chronicles the creation of ‘Two Roses’, a graphic novel beautifully illustrated by award-winning artist Miriam Libicki. Through interviews, sketches, and candid moments, viewers witness how Miriam translates Rose’s lived experiences into a visual narrative. The project not only honors Rose’s legacy but also explores how art can bridge generations, fostering understanding and empathy in the process.
‘A Rose in Plain Sight’ is both a testament to the enduring power of storytelling and a compelling exploration of memory’s intersection with art. The film invites audiences to reflect on the continued relevance of learning from Holocaust survivors in their own words.
‘A Rose in Plain Sight’ – Trailer
Director, Cinematographer and Editor: Chorong Kim
Assistant Camera: Skylar Kim
English Subtitles: Iain Higgins
Polish Subtitles: Agnieszka Haska
Stay tuned for the release of the full documentary and join us in celebrating this vital contribution to Holocaust remembrance and education. Together, let us honor the voices of survivors and the transformative power of creative expression.
