CASFFA: Ashes (Popel)

This film is also showing at our sister cinema,

The Story

AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

High school teacher and passionate historian Unai Eguia embarks on a journey across Europe with António Gandarias to uncover the fate of António's uncle, who disappeared without a trace during the Second World War. Their search leads from the Basque Country to Prague, where they discover the extraordinary story of František Suchý, director of Prague's Strašnice Crematorium, and his son. At great personal risk, the two men secretly preserved the names and ashes of more than 2,200 victims of the Nazi regime, ensuring that their identities would not be lost to history.

Among those remains, Unai and António uncover the long-forgotten traces of their own ancestors, Spanish Republicans, whose stories had been erased under Franco's dictatorship. Blending historical investigation with striking animation, Ashes is astonishing and moving documentary about memory, courage, and the enduring power of remembrance, illuminating a little-known chapter of European history.

This screening is dedicated to the Zika family. The Zika family supports the screening of Ashes in memory of past family members who suffered under Nazism.

Rating

Unclassified 15+

Duration

90 min

Country

Czech Republic, Spain, France

Language

Spanish, Basque, Czech, French (English subtitles)

Cast

Antonio Garrido Clemente, Unai Eguia, Antón Gandarias, Aleš Kýr, Július Mlčoch, František Suchý Suchá

Director

Oier Plaza Gartzia