The Kansas City Jewish Film Festival (KCJFF) wraps up its 2022-23 season with a viewing of “Deadly Deception at Sobibor” on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m. at The Lewis & Shirley White Theatre at The J.
The documentary follows archeologists who uncovered an attempt by the Nazis to hide the murder of 250,000 Jews, a revolt in the Sobibor camp and a mass escape by 300 prisoners. “Deadly Deception at Sobibor” weaves history and science together and follows excavations by archeologists Yoram Haimi of Israel, Wojtek Mazurek of Poland, and Ivar Schute of the Netherlands to unearth evidence of the cover-up.
Tickets are on sale now and are available at kcjff.org. This showing will be the Midwest premiere of “Deadly Deception at Sobibor.”
Immediately following the viewing of the film, Dr. Shelly Cline, historian and director of education of the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education, will facilitate a talkback with the film’s director, Gary Hochman.
“The Holocaust was more than simply Auschwitz,” Cline said. “This film offers a unique opportunity to learn about one of the lesser known Nazi killing centers, and it reminds of the importance of continuing historical and archaeological work to better understand these sites and their history.”
Located in German-occupied Poland, Sobibor was one of six killing centers, and one of three linked to Operation Reinhard, “the SS plan to murder almost two million Jews living in the German-administered territory of occupied Poland,” according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
This October marks the 80th anniversary of the Sobibor Uprising. In the spring of 1943, prisoners organized a resistance group which was augmented in strength, size and military knowledge in the fall when Jewish Soviet prisoners of war arrived at the camp. Of the approximately 300 prisoners who succeeded in breaking out of Sobibor, about 50 escaped and survived the war.
“Deadly Deception at Sobibor” is the final installment of this year’s KCJFF lineup. Previous installments for this season were held in January and June.
“KCJFF has been going through a bit of a transition, as we have been experimenting with different formats, genres and themes,” said Stacey Belzer, executive director of the KCJFF. “We think we've hit the mark by having larger, one-time film screenings, partnered with an event.”
KCJFF will be launching its upcoming season later this fall. More information is available at kcjff.org.
