(The video piece you see above is an excerpt of a 50-minute documentary. Organizations or anyone wishing to contribute at least 100 dollars, who wish to see the full 45 minute rough-cut, are free to contact me: allenmarkweiss@gmail.com, 919.721.6660. If anyone wishes to make a contribution after this online campaign expires, they can, of course, do so.)

My father was 16 years old when the townspeople of the village where he lived in Romania turned him and approximately 72 members of his family over to the Nazis during World War II.

For a while, the Nazis held my father and the others in a makeshift ghetto nearby: an empty house that was once a vacation destination for his family.

Within a few days, the Nazis exterminated all but three members of his family. Only he, his mother, and one uncle survived. Of the three, he is the only one living today.

I began this project as a small family effort to finally chronicle my father’s tragic, nearly unbelievable, but ultimately triumphant story. Soon, however, it mushroomed into a full documentary as I began adding interviews with the next two generations of his family.

Now even this single documentary has mushroomed into something much bigger and more important in my mind: I don’t intend to stop with one man and his family.

My father is 86 years old today. He is a witness to one of the greatest atrocities in history -- an atrocity that, while biblical in scope, is hardly biblical historically. He still walks among us, vital, vibrant, and without acrimony. But we are losing these witnesses of the Holocaust every year as they grow older.

It is up to the next generations to keep the flame of those horrid memories alive – to make sure these witnesses bear testament to what they endured so that generations to come never forget.

My father’s story is but one. There are many others. I would like to document as many of the others as I possibly can.

So why am I asking for help? My time is available. My skills as a filmmaker are available. But recording these stories and editing them into a cogent narrative are only two elements in the creation of a documentary.

Because these interviews take place “in situ,” there are certain elements I can’t control, such as sound. I’m not an audio engineer, so I will need to hire one. That takes financing.

The venture of recording these memories takes memory -- computer memory, or storage. That also takes financing. Like the others I hope to record, my father’s story is recorded on digital media. As a professional, I shoot in true HD, suitable for theater projection. The video files are enormous and must be backed up in triplicate. Otherwise, a survivor’s story can disappear with the crash of a single hard drive. Therefore, backing up each story is of paramount importance.

I know there are countless projects seeking public funding. So what separates this project from the others? While those projects are certainly important to their creators, I believe this project is imperative. It is crucial that witnesses to the Holocaust – my father and others who still live among us – are allowed to testify before the world, both today and well into the future.

The funds raised here will be used for:

·  An audio engineer’s services.

·  Storage: to thoroughly back up every bit of footage I shoot with every Survivor I can reach.

·  DVDs: Not only will DVDs be made available to Survivors and their family members (whether they contribute or not), but I will also make them available to anyone contributing over 50 dollars. I will also make them available to Remembrance organizations, synagogues and churches, civic groups, schools, and public television.

I have been an image-maker, writer, photographer and director my entire adult life. As a still photographer, I trained under world-renowned photographer Arnold Newman. My last exhibition, North Carolina Artists, was a critical success, with many images being absorbed by collections as well as one image becoming part of the permanent collection in the Greenville Museum of Art here in North Carolina.

After turning toward directing some 25 years ago, I have worked through such production companies as Bedford Falls, Shelter Films, The Shooting Gallery and Milly Films in Belgium. I have filmed works in every corner of this country, Canada, Italy, Belgium and the UK. I was included in the New Directors Showcase at the Cannes Film Festival, and am an Addy Best of Show winner.

Aside form my work in commercials I have created (pro bono) a number of PSA’s for non-profits, such as Funds For Families, The Methodist Home For Children, Kids Voting NC, and this http://vimeo.com/21578208 piece for the North Carolina Holocaust Memorial.

How Can I Help?

By simply contributing. We prefer contributions of at least 25 dollars, but any amount helps and is appreciated. Any amount greater, is greatly appreciated.

With my time, expertise and your help, we can preserve as many of these valuable stories as possible.

To me, anything less, is unthinkable.

Thank you,

Allen Weiss

(If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me, 919-721-6660, allenmarkweiss@gmail.com. Contributions can be made after the close of this campaign by simply contacting me.)