28 | NOVEMBER 25 • 2021 

work come to life. I’m happy 
it touched people more than 
anything,” Bates said.
“It’s definitely a very over-
whelming feeling, in a good 
way,” Callahan added. “It’s a 
lot to take in, but I’m just still 
very honored to be a part of it, 
especially seeing how huge it 
all is now. I hope it reaches a 
lot of people.”

For Famie, after almost two 
and a half years of working on 
the project and seeing the pre-
miere come to fruition, there’s 
a feeling that the work really 
begins now. 
“Now we have something 
that’s extraordinary, that we 
know is powerful and edu-
cational, so now how do we 

get it into the general, social 
and societal pathways to be 
absorbed by the educational 
community on all levels?” 
Famie said. “That’s where our 
focus is, how do we start doing 
showings in New York and 
Washington, D.C., and Los 
Angeles? How do we create a 
momentum now and let that 
momentum carry forth the 

power of this message and the 
power of understanding?” 
Famie is in the process of 
reaching out to major organi-
zations across the country, film 
festivals and various potential 
broadcasting venues to see 
how far they can reach with it.
“Not just locally, not just 
nationally, internationally. We 

want to see this as a global 
film, and I think it has that 
potential,” Famie said. “I think 
Curtis and Hailey resonate 
with their peer group really 
well. Shoah Ambassadors now 
has a whole new meaning and 
I hope that from this film, we 
create thousands and thou-
sands of new Shoah ambas-

sadors. That will be the real 
power of this story and film.” 

Famie and the Shoah Ambassadors 

team are still raising the necessary 

funds to ensure the film production will 

be seen internationally. To learn more 

about the film and/or to support, visit 

shoahambassadors.com.

continued from page 26

OUR COMMUNITY

SAMANTHA OTTO, VISIONALIST ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS

SAMANTHA OTTO, VISIONALIST ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS

Producer/director Keith Famie and survivor Irene Miller.
Ambassador Curtis Bates hugs survivor Irene Miller. 

Ambassadors Curtis Bates and Hailey Callahan flank survivor Rene 
Lichtman.

“IT’S DEFINITELY A VERY 
OVERWHELMING FEELING, 

IN A GOOD WAY”

— HAILEY CALLAHAN

