By India McCarty
The cast and crew of BAU: ARTIST AT WAR celebrated the premiere of the movie, as well as its message of optimism and belief in miracles.
“BAU: ARTIST AT WAR is the extraordinary true story of Joseph Bau, a man who defied the darkness of the Holocaust with art, humor, and an unbreakable spirit,” a synopsis of the movie reads. “A gifted artist and master forger, Joseph risked his life to save others, using his talent to create false documents that helped fellow prisoners escape certain death. But in the depths of despair, he discovered something even more powerful…love.”
Speaking to Movieguide® at the movie’s premiere, Emile Hirsch, who plays Joseph, shared, “The film really celebrates their love story. In the darkest of times, they were still able to find each other, and find hope and love and things that are good in times that are bad.”
“I was moved by his optimism, because it’s so easy when you’re in hard times to get sucked down the drain of hopelessness and despair,” Hirsch said of the character. “For me, to be playing a character that doesn’t succumb to come that and continues to find that resiliency within himself, that was something that was inspiring.”
He added, “I wanted to take a piece of that with me. I wanted to hold on to those qualities that Joseph exemplified.”
Deborah Smerecnik, one of the movie’s co-writers, echoed Hirsch’s admiration of Bau’s hope and optimism.
“Today, there’s so many people full of hatred…to want to destroy anybody who doesn’t agree with them. And that’s what we found in this situation,” she explained. “Joseph Bau was able to forgive…he didn’t believe in destroying anyone else’s life so he could survive. Instead, he was into allowing people to live for who they were, and encourag[ing] them that they could be more.”
Sean McNamara, BAU’s director, said he loves making “inspirational” movies, which is what drew him to Bau’s story in the first place.
“I truly believe that miracles happen, no matter what. That’s an important part of my life,” he told Movieguide®. “And you have to look for them…when you do that, the world’s a little bit sunnier. That’s kind of the theme of our movie.”
McNamara also shared the message he hopes audiences take away from BAU — “Miracles happen, even in the worst possible — in a concentration camp in 1944, you can find love, and you can have a chance at life afterwards for you and your family.”
In a January interview about BAU: ARTIST AT WAR, McNamara told The Hollywood Reporter, “This is a story that the world needs to see, to remind us of the power of hope in even the darkest times. It’s a powerful testament to resilience, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience it.”
BAU: ARTIST AT WAR will hit theaters Sept. 26.
Read Next: Bau Artist At War, Where Light, Love and Hope Triumph
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