The first promotional photos of an upcoming television series, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, starring Harvey Keitel, were just released. The series was inspired by the real-life story of Jewish Holocaust survivors Lali and Gita Sokolov.
Lali (Jonah Hauer-King) arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1942 and shortly after arrival was made one of the Tätowierer (tattooists), charged to ink identification numbers onto fellow prisoners’ arms.
One day, he meets Gita (Anna Próchniak) when tattooing her prisoner number on her arm. They fall in love but are under constant guard by a volatile Nazi SS officer Baretzki (Jonas Nay), and they vow to keep each other alive.
Sixty years later, Lali (Harvey Keitel) meets novice writer Heather Morris (Melanie Lynskey). Recently widowed, Lali finds the courage to tell the world his story. In recounting his story to Heather, Lali, now in his 80s, faces the trauma of the past and relives his memories of falling in love in the most horrific of places.
Love in the darkest of places
Israeli director and co-executive producer, Tali Shalom-Ezer, who made the acclaimed film, Princess, said, “Claire [Mundell, the executive producer] and I talked about what a huge challenge it was going to be to make viewers believe in a love story that existed in this dark place and time. This was the task that I as director, Claire, Jacquelin [Perske, executive producer and writer], and our team took upon ourselves, and I pray that we will be able to make viewers around the world believe in the wonderful love story of Lali and Gita.”
The series is set to be released in the US on Peacock in May and in Israel on Yes.