Award Winning Film DESPERATE HOURS on West Virginia PBS November 26, 2004:

Desperate Hours, a documentary film about Turkey's efforts to rescue Jews from the Holocaust, will air on West Virginia PBS on November 26, 2004 at 10 p.m. Victoria Barrett, directed and produced the one hour film, which tells the virtually unknown story of Turkey’s rescue of thousands of Jews facing certain death. In researching the film, Barrett interviewed historians, diplomats, clergy and survivors in the United States, Turkey, Israel, Italy, and

Victoria Barrett director/producer and DOP Dennis Boni leaving for filming over the Bosporus in Istanbul.

Austria. Desperate Hours "...relying much on eyewitness accounts for the mostly unaccounted history of unchartered heroism, fast-forwards the past through the eyes of survivors...and makes for a movie of timeless appeal” writes the Jewish Exponent.

Desperate Hours reveals how Turkish diplomats put their lives at risk to save Jews being shipped to concentration camps. As Germany began excluding Jews from university and professional positions, Turkey welcomed them. This experience was similar to the earlier Ottoman acceptance of the Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. The film also explores how Monsignor Angelo Roncalli, Apostolic Delegate in Istanbul during the war and the future Pope John 23rd from 1958 to 1963, worked with future leaders of Israel to save lives. Michael Berenbaum, director of the Sigi Ziering Institute at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, served as the film’s executive producer, writer and historian.

Desperate Hours won the Grand Jury Award and also the Audience Award at the 2003 D.C. Independent Film Festival. The festival describes Desperate Hours as “a truly unique work of documentary filmmaking, combining a compelling story with thorough historical research and outstanding directorial skills.”

The film has been honored with diplomatic screenings in Geneva and Rome and a special screening at the U.S. Library of Congress. Ms. Barrett was also recognized for Creative Excellence as director of Desperate Hours at the International Film and Video Festival and received the Bnai Brith Canada International Excellence in the Arts Award for 2004.

The Washington Jewish Week Film Review describes the film as “well written” with an “uplifting message of decency” and the Jerusalem Post writes that Desperate Hours “is proof that there are still stories to be told and people to be applauded.”

For more information, contact Shenandoah Films, 735 The Woods Road, Hedgesville,WV 25427, 304-754-6906.

Article in ICOM Magazine, online at www.icommag.com