The Ciesla Foundation Inc

In 2024, we continued production on a documentary about Ben Hecht, the prolific Hollywood screenwriter and passionate humanitarian who used his influence to advocate for Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. The film is scheduled for release in end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026, and aims to shed new light on his extraordinary legacy. We continue extensive research, gathering archival material and conducting interviews with individuals whose insights will be impactful to the film's storyline.

We continued to promote and host screenings of Aviva's deeply personal film, A Pocketful of Miracles: A Tale of Two Siblings, at universities, Jewish film festivals, and educational venues across the country. At several of these screenings, Aviva attended in person, introducing the film and leading intimate, heartfelt Q&A sessions with the audience. The film was also featured in Moment Magazine, further highlighting its impact. These events have played a vital role in sharing the poignant stories of Holocaust survivors, fostering education, and preserving the legacy of remembrance.

As we began working on digitizing our 1986 film Partisans of Vilna in 2023, we continue collaborating with the Shoah Foundation to complete this project. Our goal is to finalize and release the film in Blu-ray format, making it accessible to a broader audience while preserving its story

The documentary Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting was made widely accessible through streaming on Apple TV and Amazon Video, allowing audiences across the country to engage with its powerful message at any time. In addition to its digital release, we continued to promote screenings at universities and schools, aiming to educate and inspire a younger audience on the critical issues surrounding Native American representation.