The Optimist Movie Premiere & Live Discussion with Producer Dean Lyras

​Join us for an exclusive screening and live Q&A with Hollywood producer Dean Lyras (The Blues Brothers, Con Air, Dumb and Dumber, Masada).

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​History reminds us how swiftly everything we build can be uprooted, making the shelter of belonging and the solidarity of our community more vital than ever.

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​Based on a true story, The Optimist follows Holocaust survivor Herbert Heller and the unlikely friendship that transforms two lives. At 15, Herbert escaped the Auschwitz-Birkenau death march, carrying the weight of silence for six decades. When he finally breaks that silence, he forms a life-saving bond with Abby, a troubled teenager confronting her own pain. Together, they discover hope, healing, and the transformative power of being truly seen. Starring Stephen Lang (Avatar) and Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade).

The event is organized in partnership with the Aliyah and Integration Department of the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, with the support of the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration.