The public is invited to an exclusive free screening of the film “Primo” on November 16 at the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance. The screening is sponsored by HBO.
“Primo” is the film adaptation of author Levi Primo’s original theatrical presentation of his memoirs of survival at Auschwitz. Thanks to a grant from HBO, the Dallas Holocaust Museum will screen this extraordinary dramatization of Levi’s Auschwitz memoirs that were originally entitled, Survival in Auschwitz. Survival in Auschwitz was translated into many languages and published in the United States as, If This is a Man.
Born in Turin, Italy in 1919 into a highly professional and intellectual family, Primo Levi embraced many cultural pursuits. Most notably he enjoyed literature, the arts and science. Once he was of college age, he turned to science decidedly and entered University of Turin’s department of chemistry. Always a model student, Primo Levi was destined to achieve great success as scientist. However, on September 8th, 1943, the Italian government succumbed to the Germans.
At this point, Levi joined the “Justice and Liberty” movement but was captured two months later. He admitted being Jewish, although he carried papers that said otherwise, and was taken to Fossoli, a few months later. When the SS arrived in Fossoli, Primo Levi was taken with 649 other Jews to the Auschwitz concentration camp.
Levi remained in the concentration camp for a year. On January 27, 1945, the Soviet’s Red Army arrived and he was, along with others, freed. It took him nine months to get home to Turin and during that long journey Levi recorded the memories of his year in Auschwitz. His final literary work was titled Survival in Auschwitz, and was highly acclaimed for the objective, scientific way in which Levi described his survival in Auschwitz. This book was published in many languages. In the U.S. it was published under the title, If This is a Man.
Primo Levi published many other works including short stories, collections, other memoirs and poetry. Primo Levy ended his own life in Turin, Italy on April 11, 1987.
Primo, the acclaimed theater adaptation of If This is a Man, was recorded on film in 2004. It will be premiered on November 16, 2011 at the Dallas Holocaust Museum at 7 p.m. Join us for this extraordinary film.
Screening Details:
November 16, 2011 at 7 p.m.
Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance
211 N. Record Street
Dallas, TX 75202
There is no cost for admission but seating will be limited. The film is 110 minutes long.
