NEW ROCHELLE, NY (April 16, 2025) — Iona University and the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center will host a screening of the award-winning documentary “For the Living” on April 23 at 6:30 p.m. in Ryan Library’s Romita Auditorium as part of the William H. Donat Shoah Commemoration. The free event, open to the public, will be followed by a filmmaker Q&A.
The 117-minute film, co-directed by Marc Bennett and Tim Roper, explores dehumanization and empathy through the story of Holocaust survivor Marcel Zielinski. At age 10, Zielinski walked 60 miles from Auschwitz-Birkenau to Krakow, Poland, in January 1945, seeking his family after liberation. Decades later, 250 cyclists from 12 countries retraced his path during the annual Ride for the Living, organized by JCC Krakow, to honor his journey and highlight the ongoing struggle between compassion and dehumanization.
“For the Living” has won Humanitarian and Audience Choice awards at Doc Utah, sparking lively post-screening discussions. It features commentary from academics like Timothy Snyder and Neil Degrasse Tyson, posing questions about re-humanizing the living and the meaning of “never again.”
The film draws parallels between humanity’s darkest moments and its capacity for compassion, addressing themes of social justice, human rights, and history. It will also screen at Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan on April 24 in New York City, with tickets available online.
For more information or to RSVP, contact eprocariofoley@iona.edu or call 914-637-2744.