Israel & Sara
A Film by Tim Gralke
Screenplay by Rusudan Gaprindashvili & Tim Gralke
Director of Photography – Olaf Kuzniar
Logline
In the shadow of his dementia-stricken grandfather’s fading memories, Ben cautiously steps into his grandfather’s religious world—until a young visitor brings long-lost childhood memories to light.
Logline
In the shadow of his dementia-stricken grandfather’s fading memories, Ben cautiously steps into his grandfather’s religious world—until a young visitor brings long-lost childhood memories to light.
Logline
In the shadow of his dementia-stricken grandfather’s fading memories, Ben cautiously steps into his grandfather’s religious world—until a young visitor brings long-lost childhood memories to light.
Synopsis
Ben visits his dementia-stricken grandfather, Isaac, to celebrate Passover together.
The former miner barely recognizes his grandson anymore—his perception slowly dissolving into a fragile reality. For Ben, however, Isaac remains simply his grandfather. Watching his memories fade is painful, yet with patience and care, Ben strives to give him a life that still feels familiar.
Suddenly, a visitor arrives:
Darja, the granddaughter of Estha—Isaac’s childhood friend—travels from Spain. During the Holocaust, Estha was hidden and saved by Isaac’s parents. The two children, once inseparable, were torn apart and never saw each other again.
After Estha’s death, Darja follows in her grandmother’s footsteps, carrying one last gift: a cassette recording of Estha playing the violin. When Isaac hears the familiar music, memories return. Something long buried comes alive within him. He recognizes the music, recognizes Estha—and with her, a lost part of himself.
In a quiet, intimate moment, he hands Darja an old violin—the instrument Estha once gave him, which he says saved his life.
Between past and present, memory and enduring love, a subtle closeness unfolds—a shared moment filled with dignity, music, and rediscovery.
Principal Cast
Milena Cestao Kolbowski
as Darja
Jürgen Mikol
as Isaac
Simon Jonathan Gierlich
as Ben
Shooting with Creative Independence
Limited time, but unlimited energy, motivation, and a team committed to detail and perseverance made the shoot for Israel & Sara possible. Over three intensive days in November 2022, cast and crew alike poured themselves into the project, creating a production marked by dedication, focus, and shared artistic purpose.
Photography Credits
We are deeply grateful to Brian Sarra for the beautiful on-set photographs.
The three portrait shots of the principal cast were taken by Olaf Kuzniar.
Post-Production
The film was completed in May 2025.
Post-production was an intense, creative process: we experimented extensively to develop a soundscape that not only accompanies the story but narrates it in its own right. It was a long, challenging journey, full of surprises and invaluable discoveries.
Freya Deiting and Misha Nodelman brought director Tim Gralke’s visionary ideas to life with remarkable sensitivity, translating them into atmospheric sonic landscapes. Special thanks go to Markus Hunke, whose meticulous work on the recordings with Misha, as well as his masterful mixing, played a crucial role in shaping the film’s emotional power.
