Every year since 2011, a unique beauty contest has been taking place in Haifa. The contestants are female survivors of the Holocaust. In the midst of this flashy spectacle, their personal traumas remain as deep as ever. There are many things about this contest that are controversial: it is organized by the right Zionist organization, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, and the dubious contest itself rises the public indignation of various speakers, including other survivors.
Direction
İpeker lets contradictions breathe without easy answers.
Editing
Jarring cuts between pageant glitz and archival horrors.
Director
Eytan İpeker
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Miss Holocaust Survivor pageant still runs annually in Haifa, drawing hundreds of applicants despite international criticism.
Director İpeker initially set out to critique the pageant but found himself torn between exploitation critique and genuine witness to survivor resilience.
IL
