The Survivor released first look images of the HBO original film directed by Barry Levinson and starring Ben Foster. Foster is playing Harry Haft, a real-life Holocaust survivor who was forced into the gladiatorial boxing spectacle at Auschwitz. He's determined to win and survive to be reunited with his love. The film also stars Vicky Krieps, Billy Magnussen, Peter Sarsgaard, Saro Emirze, Dar Zuzovsky, Danny DeVito, and John Leguizamo. The film is based on the book Harry Haft: Survivor of Auschwitz, Challenger of Rocky Marciano by Alan Haft and The Survivor's script is written by Justine Juel Gillmer.
The Survivor is being produced by New Mandate Films’ Matti Leshem, BRON Studios’ Aaron L. Gilbert, Baltimore Pictures’ Jason Sosnoff, Scott Pardo, and Levinson. Executive Producers include Joel Greenberg, Foster, Devito, Brenda Gilbert, Steven Thibault, Ashley Levinson, Anjay Nagpal, Ron McLeod, Jason Cloth, and Richard McConnell. The HBO original film will release on April 27, in honor of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day).
The pictures give us a look at Levinson and Foster reuniting after their work together on Liberty Heights, Foster's film debut. We also get a look at Foster's transformation to Haft while at Auschwitz and him in the ring, emaciated, but still fighting. The film looks like one that brings us incredible performances from actors like Foster, who has shown us time and time again how brilliant he is. But bringing Haft's story to life is an important one.
Haft had to fight for his life and his will to survive was tied to seeing the woman that he loved once more and while inspiring, it's hard to unpack all the pain and death that took place in camps like Auschwitz and others around that area during World War II. Movies like The Survivor serve as a reminder of the history this world shares and the first look pictures definitely should have audiences ready to learn about the remarkable strength of Harry Haft.
The Survivor is set to come out on April 27 at 8 P.M. ET/PT. It is an "examination of one man’s journey from unspeakable horrors to freedom, forgiveness, and redemption" and one that should educate us all about the horrors of the history that forced people like Haft into these situations in the first place.
You can read more about The Survivor here:
The HBO Original film The Survivor marks award-winning filmmaker Barry Levinson’s return to HBO. Based on the incredible true story of Harry Haft, the film reunites Levinson with award-winning actor Ben Foster. Foster stars in the title role as Haft who, after being sent to Auschwitz, survives not only the unspeakable horrors of the camp, but the gladiatorial boxing spectacle he is forced to perform with his fellow prisoners for the amusement of his captors. Unbeknownst to those who try to destroy him, Haft’s will to survive is driven by his quest to reunite with the woman he loves.