EXCLUSIVE: Go2Films has boarded sales rights to Jason Alexander-nominated documentary To Kill A Nazi about the Entebbe hostage crisis, which unfolded 50 years ago.
Penn State professor Boaz Dvir directs the film which will make its world premiere at the Dances With Films festival in LA on Monday, June 22, at the TCL Chinese Theatre. The film will have its international premiere at the Croatian International Film Festival in Šibenik on Sunday, July 26.
The documentary follows the true story of Michel Cojot, “a French family man tormented by his father’s murder at Auschwitz. After discovering Gestapo Commander Klaus Barbie’s signature on the arrest papers, Cojot tracks the “Butcher of Lyon” to Bolivia. Posing as a journalist, Cojot corners Barbie in a La Paz alleyway with a loaded pistol but hesitates to pull the trigger. That fateful decision haunts him until a year later, when he and his 12-year-old son find themselves aboard the hijacked Air France flight during the 1976 Entebbe Raid (Operation Thunderbolt), thrusting Cojot into a once-in-a-lifetime chance at redemption.”
Producers say the film will “debunk long-standing myths surrounding the event, including the actions of Revolutionary Cells commander Wilfried Böse. During the commando raid, eyewitnesses describe how the German terrorist actively turned his weapon away and directed captives to safety rather than executing them.”
Also produced by Matthew Einstein and Gayle Zachmann, the 101-minute USA/France co-production also features exclusive interviews with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, Entebbe hostage spokesperson Ilan Hartuv, and mission commander Rami Sherman.
“To Kill A Nazi is a gripping and deeply human story that explores memory, justice, and the lasting impact of history across generations. Working with Boaz Dvir has been truly inspiring, his ability to transform complex historical events into an emotional and cinematic journey makes this film both timely and unforgettable.” said Hedva Goldschmidt, founder & CEO of Go2Films.
“The Raid on Entebbe has become a blueprint for the expansion of special operations forces across the world,” director Dvir said. “As Operation Thunderbolt’s 50th anniversary approaches, To Kill a Nazi reexamines this mission as a story borne of fragile decisions under extreme pressure.”.
