LANDSCAPES OF MEMORY is a documentary weaving personal essay, observational storytelling, and intimate character studies to explore the uses and abuses of Holocaust memory. Filmed in the years before and months after the seismic shift of October 7th, the film follows three main protagonists: a third-generation Holocaust survivor’s descendant, Eli; a third-generation Nazi descendant, Johannes; and a Palestinian artist, Michael, each trying to understand what memory means in the present.

Director's Statement

As the daughter of a 9/11 survivor and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, I want to bridge countries and communities together through a story of remembrance work. I have witnessed the effects of co-opting the Holocaust to promote nationalist and far right agendas. At 10 years old, my family and I were glued to the TV screen watching bombs fall on Iraq when I asked the question, “Why is Iraq getting attacked if they did not cause 9/11?” I realized at a young age how our grief was weaponized and misplaced.

As a storyteller, it is my goal to bring people into spaces they normally would not engage and to tell stories that are unexpected and filled with nuance. By anchoring my personal memorialization process with what I learned in Germany, I aim to initiate dialogue beyond echo chambers and explore memorialization's applicability across nations and communities. - Leah Galant

PRESS:

Collider March 18, 2026 By Samuel R. Murrian Rated #1 - “5 Great Documentaries from the True/False Film Fest 2026”

ROGEREBERT.COM- Included in Highlights of the 2026 True/False Film Festival Include “Tropical Park,” “Buck Harbor,” “Landscapes of Memory”

Daily Iowan - This was my favorite film of the festival. I was struck by how nuanced the film was.

Unseen Films - “That is a rave ladies and gentlemen. Seriously, this is certainly one of the great finds of 2026. I'm working on where it belongs on the best of the year list”

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