Director Julia R. Mintz and Michael Imperioli
Director Julia R. Mintz and Michael Imperioli
Survivors Become Fighters in Four Winters Doc

(released 11/8/2022)


Four Winters is a documentary film about the Jewish Partisan resistance during World War II. The film gives way to the survivors' point of view. Interviews, photographs and period footage help to tell the story of those who were forced to comply often with family members lying dead from the invasion and sweeping of their homes. The survivors of this horror, often face the hardest question to answer, why me? Why did I survive? Against incredible odds, including four winters living in a forest, the survivors' stories are a powerful telling of that time period and a signal to present times.

The film's director Julia R. Mintz was present for the film's screening at the New Plaza Cinema on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on Saturday night, November 5, to share her process and thoughts when making this passion project.  Mintz took over a decade to patiently piece together the film. When asked how she found the survivors to interview, she noted moments of serendipities that brought her to people in the film. Mintz also told, some that were interviewed and shared their stories were hesitant or not ready on the first and even multiple asks for the interview. When they were ready, so was she, to take in and deliver their truth on a subject matter that has many vocal opponents in our current political culture.

Actor Micheal Imperioli was so struck by the film when he first saw it debut at the Film Forum that he reached out to filmmaker Julia Mintz via instagram. Through the social media connection, they were able to discuss further on Imperioli's feelings about the importance of the film and he offered to help by promoting it to others. Micheal joined Mintz Saturday night at the New Plaza screening as a Q and A moderator post screening. Imperioli also took to Instagram before the screening to invite Brooklyn Nets player Kyrie Irving to come and watch the film in attempt to further educate him on what the truth of the Jewish experience includes. The post screening audience became spirited in the dialogue of further spreading the truth through the film's educating nature and how each of us can take action to help others understand this historical experience by sharing this film.

The film will be screening this weekend November 11-13 at New Plaza Cinema. The New Plaza Cinema is located in the halls of Macaulay Honors College, 35 West 67th Street, 10023.


Michael Imperioli


Director Julia R. Mintz and Michael Imperioli


Producer Peter Fine

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