Premiering in the Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival, the animated film Where is Anne Frank received a minute's standing ovation from 2300 viewers on Friday afternoon.
After about ten years of development and production, the Israeli director Ari Folman presented his film Where is Anne Frank. Honorary guests included Audrey Azoulay (Director General of UNESCO), Ronald S. Lauder (President of the Jewish World Congress), Baron Éric de Rothschild (President of the Foundation of the Memory of the Shoah), Hili Tropper (Israel’s Minister of Culture), Leah Pisar (President of the Aladdin Project), Michel Friedman (publicist) and John D. Goldsmith (President of the Anne Frank Fonds Basel). The animated film, which is largely based on the diary of Anne Frank, recounts the fate of the families in the Secret Annex in Amsterdam during the Holocaust and describes the situation in present-day Europe after the Second World War. Anne Frank's imaginary friend is brought to life for the first time. As she looks for her best friend, Kitty tells Anne Frank's story. The project was based on an idea and initiative of the Anne Frank Fonds Basel, was produced in 14 countries and will be shown in cinemas in about 80 countries. Accompanied by a global educational programme, the film is considered to be the first international film for children and young people on the Shoah and was developed in partnership with UNESCO, the Claims Conference, the Foundation of the Memory of the Shoah, and other organisations. Information is available on www.whereisannefrank.com and www.instagram.com/whereisannefrank/.
The film will premiere in Jerusalem, London, Paris and Zurich next.