A

fter more than two 
years of production, 
Shoah Ambassadors, 
the Holocaust documentary 
film directed and produced by 
Keith Famie, premiered at a 
community showing Nov. 11 at 
the Novi Emagine Theatre.
The film is a new take on 
telling the Holocaust story, 
focused on educating youth 
about the horrors and atroc-
ities of the genocide through 
ambassadors Curtis Bates 
and Hailey Callahan, who tell 
the story through their own 
unique artistic expression. 
In attendance were Bates 
and Callahan, many of the 
Michigan-based Holocaust 
survivors involved in the film, 
supporters and executive pro-
ducers, the Detroit Children’s 
Choir and many members of 
the community in a packed 
theater. 
Shoah Ambassadors also 
made its debut on DPTV/PBS 

Nov. 18. DPTV/PBS is airing 
it a second time on Sunday, 
Dec. 12, at 9 p.m. as part of 
Jewish Heritage Night. 
Before the showing, Dan 
Alpert, retired senior vice 
president of Detroit Public 
Television (PBS), and Dani 
Dayan, chairman of Yad 
Vashem, gave opening remarks 
about how important the 
film will be for the younger 
generation in learning about 
important events like the 
Holocaust. Famie then offered 
his thoughts on the film and 
thanked attending supporters.
The showing was a huge 
hit, and after the film, many 
attendees went out of their 
way to seek out pictures and 
autographs from Bates and 
Callahan. 
Priscila Lozano, a 14-year-
old Novi High School student 
in attendance, plans to learn 
more about the Holocaust after 
seeing the film and to spread 

the film’s story and messages to 
friends.
“I really liked it. It gave me 
a different person’s point of 
view on how the Holocaust 
happened and everything they 
went through,” Lozano said. “It 
was really moving.” 
Holocaust survivor Irene 
Miller speaks all over the 
country telling her story and 
the Holocaust story at large, 
but she said taking part in 
the film and seeing it all put 
together was still an emotional 
experience for her. 

“Not too many of us 
Holocaust survivors are left 
alive, and it reminds me how 
important it is to reach out to 
young people and pass on to 
them the responsibility to tell 
this story,” Miller said. 
For both Bates and Callahan, 
whose respective families 
were in attendance, it was a 
life-changing experience. Both 
ambassadors plan to continue 
spreading the film’s message.
“This is my first time see-
ing it all the way through, so 
it was wonderful seeing hard 

SAMANTHA OTTO, VISIONALIST ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS

After two years of production, 
Holocaust fi
 lm debuts in Novi.

Shoah Ambassadors 
Premieres

continued on page 28

DANNY SCHWARTZZ STAFF WRITER

26 | NOVEMBER 25 • 2021 

OUR COMMUNITY

SAMANTHA OTTO, VISIONALIST ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS

TOP: A packed audience enjoyed the film’s debut. ABOVE: Ambassadors 
Curtis Bates and Hailey Callahan sign Shoah Ambassadors movie posters 
for those in attendance. 

