“This is besa - Your life is in my hands.”

~ Vehbi Hoti on why Albanians rescued Jews during the Holocaust

Another San Francisco review: “riveting, revelatory and profound…a rare film that lets us spend an hour and a half awed by the best qualities of human beings, and inspires us to manifest our own.”

Our premiere is July 29 in the Golden Gate City!  For tickets click bit.ly/BTPSFJFF

“Having them in our house was like having a time bomb. They were followed at every step. Yet we accepted them regardless of the consequences that we would suffer if the Gestapo found them.”

~ Orhan Frasheri on the rescue of Jews in Albania during the Holocaust

“We would knock on the door in the middle of the night. They would give us shelter. They would give us food. They would say, ‘Be calm. Nothing will happen to you. We will guard you. They will kill us before they kill you.’”

~ Jasa Altarac on the rescue of Jews in Albania during the Holocaust

“During the war the Jewish refugees were protected by Albanians, who through a nationwide system of care and information worked secretly to protect them and helped them to move from one place to another and avoid any possible contact with the Nazis.”

~ Myzafer and Luljeta Kazazi on the rescue of Jews in Albania during the Holocaust.

“Our home is our guest’s house, then our house, but above all, it is God’s House”

~ Hamid and Xhemal Veseli on why their family rescued Jews in Albania during the Holocaust

Besa:The Promise is pleased to announce its World Premiere at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival on Sunday, July 29 at 12noon at the San Francisco JCC.  It will be screened again Monday, July 30, 2012 11:55 AM at the Cinearts at Palo Alto Square, and on August 6 at 2:25pm in Piedmont.

Click on the picture to get ticketing info for the World Premiere of Besa:The Promise! 

(via superzusgw)

Baba on Flickr.

“When the Jews were refugees, the Prime Minister asked Albanians to take their children in. To let their children sleep with their own. To share their food with them.”

~ Dede Baba Reshat Bardhi on the rescue of Jews in Albania during the Holocaust

Yeoshua Baruchowic on Flickr.

“Why did Ali save me? Ali saved me because I was a Jew and a fugitive from the Nazis. He said, besa, which means a promise.”

~ Yeoshua Baruchowic on being rescued in Albania during the Holocaust

A new documentary about good people who did courageous deeds.