“The Address on the Wall” is a philosophical documentary drama film directed by Ukrainian director Sergei Krutsenko with actor Alex Ansky in the lead role. Alex Ansky is a famous and popular Israeli actor and TV host. The film was produced by Nachum Slutzker. He is a successful Israeli producer, initiator and creator of the Baruch Berliner’s Genesis International Project. Baruch Berliner composed the soundtrack of the movie. He is a famous Israeli composer, and also starrs in the movie. The film is dedicated to the Holocaust of the Jews of Kiev. It shows the merciless events that occurred during the Babyn yar tragedy, and depicts the suffering and pain of Jews.
The Babyn Yar massacre is a ravine in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and a site of massacres carried out by Nazi Germany’s forces during its campaign against the Soviet Union in World War II. The first and best documented of the massacres took place on 29–30 September 1941, killing some 33,771 Jews. Other victims of massacres at the site included Soviet prisoners of war, communists and Romani people. It is estimated that a total of between 100,000 and 150,000 people were murdered at Babi Yar during the German occupation.
SergeiKrutsenko died last year, shortly after finishing working on the film, leaving the masterpiece he created theIsraeli-Ukrainianfilm. The film is different and unique in which he explores the real and fictional stories about heart-breaking and the brutal incident that took place in 1941. He has proved to be the most creative director by making this cinematic collage.
The words “mene mene tekel u pharsin” appeared on the wall of the palace of the Babylonian king Belshazar during a banquet he held, shortly before the fall of his country to Cyrus, king of Pharsin. All of this is documented in the biblical book of Daniel, “mene mene tekel u pharsin”. This is “the writing on the wall” that has occupied the sages of Babylon, who could not find an explanation. Daniel the prophet came to their aid and was able to explain.
The movie shows extremely painful scenes where Jews are slaughtered like animals. To conceal this heart-wrenching act, their bodies were exhumed, burned and the ashes scattered over farmland in the vicinity. Several hundred prisoners of war from the Syrets concentration camp were forced to build funeral pyres out of Jewish gravestones and exhume the bodies for cremation. Jews suffered unimaginable during WW2, and it was an act to wipe out Jews. It is very painful to remember those days.
The film “The Address on the Wall” has participated in 16 international film festivals and has been screened so far at 18 festivals, such as Cannes, the Mediterranean Film Festival, the States boro Film Festival in Georgia, USA, the Berlin International Historical Film Festival, Barcelona Film Festival, the Catalan Human Rights Film Festival and festivals in Canada, Italy, Albania, Hungary, Cyprus, South Korea and more.
In short, “The Address on the Wall” is one of the best movies which shows real incidents in a dramatic way. The movie is created to remember the brutal acts and hate against Jews during WW2, especially highlighting the Babyn yar tragedy. The film is dedicated to the Babi Yar tragedy and presents many questions but does not give answers, because they depend individually on the conscience of every human being. We can safely say that it is a masterpiece which questions our moral values towards each other. And the hate towards each other based on religion and ethnicity.
