Give as a gift
If you would like to donate to support our efforts, you can do so by clicking here. You can also experience all the films streaming in the Festival's virtual program by purchasing an All-Access Virtual Pass by clicking here.
When the world turned away, the Dominican Republic answered. They Called Us Trujillo’s Jews tells the extraordinary true story of the Sosúa settlement—the refugee colony created on land donated by Rafael Trujillo that saved hundreds of European Jews at a moment when few countries would accept them.
Through survivors’ testimony, archival documents, and intimate scenes of the town today, the film explores survival and gratitude alongside the moral ambiguities of power: why a dictator opened his doors, what life in Sosúa was really like, and the legacy that small acts of sanctuary can leave across generations.
A revelatory and deeply humane documentary, They Called Us Trujillo’s Jews recovers the story of Sosúa, one of a daring rescue that saved hundreds and left a complex legacy of survival, community, and memory.
- Year2026
- Runtime60 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Spanish
- CountryUnited States
- PremiereWorld Premiere
- DirectorMichael Puro
- ScreenwriterMichael Puro
- CastRene Kirchheimer, Joe Benjamin, Edith Meyerstein. Julie Wellechs, Helga Luden
- CinematographerMichael Puro, Jolian Perez
- EditorMichael Puro
If you would like to donate to support our efforts, you can do so by clicking here. You can also experience all the films streaming in the Festival's virtual program by purchasing an All-Access Virtual Pass by clicking here.
When the world turned away, the Dominican Republic answered. They Called Us Trujillo’s Jews tells the extraordinary true story of the Sosúa settlement—the refugee colony created on land donated by Rafael Trujillo that saved hundreds of European Jews at a moment when few countries would accept them.
Through survivors’ testimony, archival documents, and intimate scenes of the town today, the film explores survival and gratitude alongside the moral ambiguities of power: why a dictator opened his doors, what life in Sosúa was really like, and the legacy that small acts of sanctuary can leave across generations.
A revelatory and deeply humane documentary, They Called Us Trujillo’s Jews recovers the story of Sosúa, one of a daring rescue that saved hundreds and left a complex legacy of survival, community, and memory.
- Year2026
- Runtime60 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Spanish
- CountryUnited States
- PremiereWorld Premiere
- DirectorMichael Puro
- ScreenwriterMichael Puro
- CastRene Kirchheimer, Joe Benjamin, Edith Meyerstein. Julie Wellechs, Helga Luden
- CinematographerMichael Puro, Jolian Perez
- EditorMichael Puro