68 | NOVEMBER 28 • 2019
Soul
of blessed memory
continued from page 67
Schindler’
s List Producer, Holocaust
Survivor Branko Lustig Dead at 87
(JTA) — Branko Lustig, the
Oscar-winning producer of the
Holocaust film Schindler’
s List,
has died.
Lustig died Thursday, Nov.
14, 2019, at his home in Croatia
at the age of 87. His death was
announced by the Festival of
Tolerance, a Jewish film festival
held in the Croatian capital of
Zagreb for the last 13 years.
Born to a Jewish family
in 1932, Lustig was impris-
oned in Auschwitz during the
Holocaust. Much of his family
was killed by the Nazis, includ-
ing his father and grandmother.
He began his film career in
the Yugoslavian film industry
in the 1950s and worked as a
production supervisor on the
1982 Hollywood film Sophie’
s
Choice, part of which was shot
in Yugoslavia.
Lustig’
s work on American
films helped him move to Los
Angeles in the 1980s, where
he met Steven Spielberg, who
directed Schindler’
s List. The
film won the Oscar for best pic-
ture in 1994.
“My number was 83317,
”
Lustig said in an emotional
speech at the award ceremony.
“I’
m a Holocaust survivor. It’
s a
long way from Auschwitz to this
stage.
”
Lustig went on to recall the
people he saw die in the camps,
who urged him to be a witness
to their murder.
“By helping Steven to make
this movie, I hope I fulfill my
obligation to the innocent vic-
tims of the Holocaust,
” Lustig
continued. “In the name of the 6
million Jews killed in the Shoah
and other victims of the Nazis,
I want to thank everyone who
acknowledged this movie.
”
Lustig went on to work with
other Hollywood luminaries.
He produced the 1997 film The
Peacemaker starring George
Clooney and Nicole Kidman
and served as executive pro-
ducer of the 2001 Ridley Scott
film Black Hawk Down. He won
another Oscar for producing
Scott’
s 2000 film Gladiator,
which also won best picture.
A decade ago, he returned to
Croatia to become president of
the Festival of Tolerance.
Branko Lustig accepting the
Academy Award for Schindler’
s List
SCREENSHOT