Oma & Bella
An intimate portrait of the lives, memories, and friendship of two Holocaust survivors.
Regina Karolinski and Bella Katz prepare a meal in their Berlin kitchen.
DIRECTED BY ALEXA KAROLINSKI (Germany/USA, World Showcase)
Saturday, April 28, 6:30 p.m.
TIFF Bell Lightbox (350 King Street West)
Monday, April 30, 4:30 p.m
ROM Theatre (100 Queen’s Park)
A peek into the world, and kitchen, of best friends and Holocaust survivors Regina Karolinski (Oma) and Bella Katz, Oma & Bella is a touching portrait of love and loss, hope and darkness, and lifelong friendship.
Filmmaker Alexa Karolinski, Regina’s granddaughter, captures the stories and emotions of the octogenarian twosome as they struggle to retain parts of their difficult past while remaining engaged with the present. The film takes a minimalist approach, and Karolinski strikes the right balance by leaving out unnecessary narratives and factoids.
While heartbreaking scenes are peppered throughout, the film delivers more than tears. It’s a sweet look at companionship, of two women who have lived through a lot, and have chosen to spend their later years together. It’s a story of family lost and gained. It’s also a story of food, the preparation of which plays a central role. (Vegetarians, take note: there may be a few scenes that might make you squirm.)
In the end, Oma & Bella serves as a reminder that soon everyone who lived through the Holocaust will be gone, leaving behind only their memories. This documentary is a celebration of the lives they lived.