About

News: 72 Hours has received several accolades from film festivals around the world. Watch the film here.

72 HOURS is a 30-minute educational film adapted from a stage play. Narrated by two high school students, this powerful story explores the transformative power of empathy and the courage to stand up for what is right, no matter the cost. Our goal is to inspire and empower a new generation to make a difference.

Nearly ninety percent of Greek Jews lost their lives during the Holocaust. However, on the Ionian Island of Zakynthos, the entire Jewish community was saved—thanks to the incredible courage and compassion of the local people. 72 HOURS illuminates the humanity of a people who risked their lives and defied the Nazis to save their neighbors. The filmed play brings these acts of moral bravery to life for schools and audiences everywhere.

The film’s mission is

1.  to combat anti-Semitism, racism, and all forms of discrimination,
2.  to preserve the memory of the Holocaust, and
3. to equip educators with the tools and resources needed to teach about the Holocaust.

A Pew Research Center survey conducted among teenagers aged 13-17 revealed that only 38% knew that 6 million Jews perished in the Holocaust. The Anti-Defamation League has reported that there are more anti-Semitic incidents today than ever before. The ADL found “…a direct relationship between deficiencies in Holocaust education and heightened prejudicial, anti-Semitic beliefs.”

Greek Jewish survivor testimonies are featured in the film, translated from Greek and Hebrew, along with other relevant archival film and photographic material. The true story of Zakynthos is about moral issues and human behavior. It teaches that there can be no faith, creed, legal or political system that endorses silence and indifference to the pain and suffering of other human beings. That legacy is worth remembering, and the lesson worth teaching.

The film is a project of Cultural Exchange Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. Your tax-deductible donation will help us send 72 HOURS along with lesson plans to schools across America and the world, ensuring that students everywhere learn the strength of compassion, the importance of tolerance, and the power of empathy.

You can donate on the Foundation website:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=E8ZJY4S4Q8ULA

or on our GoFundMe page at:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-72-hours-a-film-about-courage-and-empathy

or by check to Cultural Exchange Foundation, PO Box 40277, Washington DC 20016.

Thank you for your support.

Anita Semjen
Executive Director, Cultural Exchange Foundation and
Executive Producer, 72 HOURS

https://www.cef-us.org/