ABOUT THE FILM SERIES
"Bridging Generations" is a Documentary Film Series that commemorates Holocaust Memorial Day 2026. It is coordinated by Simone Gigliotti from the Holocaust Research Institute in the Department of History at Royal Holloway, University of London, UK.
Screening on Thursdays from 29 January to 12 February 2026, the selection of documentary films focus on the Holocaust in North Africa, the first deportations from Slovakia, and the pioneering work of psychiatrist and survivor, Dori Laub. The films redefine cinematic expression through animation, archives and diaries.
Thursday, 29 January 2026
About the film: At the young age of 20, Yosef Dadosh was among 3,000 Jews sent from their homes in Benghazi to the Giado concentration camp nestled in the heart of the Libyan desert. Amidst extreme conditions, he bravely chronicled life within the camp through a secret diary. For seven decades, his diary remained locked away in a closet, concealed from the world, until after his passing. Yosef’s diary provides an extraordinary and rare window into the harrowing routine at Giado. It captures the atrocities endured by its inhabitants in real time, offering an intimate and chilling account of their suffering. Despite his dedication to raising awareness about the Holocaust of Libyan Jews and fighting for its recognition by the State of Israel, Yosef chose to keep his personal ordeal hidden from his own children. In an endeavour to bring this compelling story to life on the screen, a unique model of the camp was constructed and photographed. Through the use of animations, this model serves as a visual bridge, connecting the haunting texts of the diary with the stark reality of the camp. The resulting film merges historical accuracy with a distinctive cinematic language, offering a powerful and immersive exploration of Yosef’s profound journey and the dark legacy he left behind. Time: 18.00-20.00 Venue: Shilling Lecture Theatre, Egham Campus, Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) Directions: see RHUL campus map (area 5) Post-Screening Discussion featuring Rebecca Glasberg (RHUL) and Paris Chronakis (RHUL)
Watch the trailer
Thursday, 5 February 2026
About the film: Best-selling author and historian Heather Dune Macadam has adapted her acclaimed book 999 into a powerful documentary, 999: The Forgotten Girls, that sheds light on a wrenching true story. In March 1942, nearly 1,000 young Slovak Jewish women, mostly teenagers, told by their government that they were embarking on a volunteer work assignment, were instead illegally deported to Auschwitz on what was the first Jewish transport to the Nazi death camp. Rather than strictly focus on the suffering and death experienced by most of the girls, Macadam tells stories of a small group who survived against all odds, even under unimaginable conditions that lasted more than three grueling years. A film of deep research and vivid detail, 999: The Forgotten Girls ensures that these women will no longer be a historical footnote. Note: some images may be disturbing.
Time: 18.00-20.30 Venue: Shilling Lecture Theatre, Egham Campus, Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) Directions: see RHUL campus map (area 5) Post-Screening Discussion featuring Heather Dune Macadam, the director of 999: The Forgotten Girls, and Simone Gigliotti (RHUL)
Watch the trailer
Thursday, 12 February 2026
About the film: When Dori Laub, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, began recording the stories of other survivors in the late 1970s, he wasn’t just preserving memory, he was pioneering a radical act of listening. His work led to the creation of the world’s first video testimony archive and shaped a unique therapeutic approach centered on presence, empathy, and witness. The documentary follows the final four years of Laub’s life, interweaving powerful archival testimonies with intimate glimpses into his own story: childhood in Romanian camps, a love affair with the daughter of a former Nazi officer, and the moment his own children hear his testimony for the first time. His legacy echoes today in the work of Edut 710, a project inspired by Laub’s methods to document the voices of survivors of the October 7 Hamas massacre. The Listener offers a groundbreaking cinematic response to Claude Lanzmann and Jean Rouch, capturing the act of listening at the heart of Dori Laub’s radical therapeutic approach. It brings his work out of the therapy room and closed archives, making it powerfully accessible to both the public and the cinematic conversation. Time: 18.00-20.00 Venue: The Wiener Holocaust Library, 29 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5DP Directions: see Getting Here (The Wiener Holocaust Library) Post-Screening Discussion featuring Stephen Naron (Director of the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University), Simone Gigliotti (RHUL), and Dan Stone (RHUL)
Contact information & Queries
For films screening at RHUL (29 January and 5 February): HolocaustRI@rhul.ac.uk or Dr Simone Gigliotti, Simone.Gigliotti@rhul.ac.uk For the film screening at The Wiener Holocaust Library (12 February): Dr Will Jones, Research and Engagement Officer: wjones@wienerholocaustlibrary.org
We are very grateful to the following sponsors, speakers and event partners for their support
Speakers: Paris Chronakis, Heather Dune Macadam, Rebecca Glasberg, Simone Gigliotti, Stephen Naron and Dan Stone
We also extend our sincere thanks to venue volunteers and staff