Episode 379: In The Seats With...David Hoffert and 'The Rhapsody'

To put it simply, the power of music can save lives...On this episode we're taking a trip over to the Toronto Jewish Film Festival which is on now in our fair city until June 26th either online or at various venues across the GTA.Having it's world premiere this June 15th at the Hot Docs Cinema it's the fantastic story of 'The Rhapsody'.Composer and Holocaust survivor Leo Spellman always dreamed of telling the world what happened and at 98, he begins that journey. His musical masterpiece, lost for more than fifty years, and his secret wartime diary, revealed for the first time in this film, are the framework for his remarkable tale of survival. Fueled by fear, heroic resistance and raw guts, Spellman’s story is brought to life through stunning animation narrated by award-winning actor Stephen Fry. The documentary features powerful concert performances, rare archival footage, riveting interviews and an uplifting finale as Spellman's legacy is finally recognized in the Polish town where he so narrowly escaped death.In advance of the world premiere we had the unique pleasure of sitting down with director David Hoffert about how this story came into his orbit, crafting the narrative and so very much in this special and unique story of a man's survival through atrocity and how his art played a big part in getting him through it all.'The Rhapsody' has it's premiere this June 15th at the Hot Cinema here in downtown Toronto as a part of the Toronto Jewish Film Festival.  You can visit tjff.com for more info and ticket details on this and many other films.