March of The Living

March of The Living follows the last generation of Holocaust survivors as they return to Poland alongside thousands of teenagers from around the world to retrace the march from Auschwitz to Birkenau. The film moves between personal testimony and present-day footage of the memorial walk, capturing survivors as they share memories, point out landmarks, and react to the youth who listen. Rather than resolving tensions or revealing surprises, the documentary focuses on the emotional exchange between eyewitnesses and young visitors, showing how memory gets passed on, how grief and history meet on the road, and how the act of remembrance remains both fragile and necessary.

Released in 2010, the documentary was directed by Jessica Sanders and features real participants rather than actors, including Elika Rezvani credited as herself. The film presents a straightforward, observational approach, aiming for authenticity over dramatization.

The film had a limited theatrical presence and was shown largely at festivals and community screenings tailored to education and remembrance. Detailed box office figures aren’t widely reported, which aligns with the film’s orientation toward outreach and educational use rather than mainstream commercial distribution.

March of The Living has found a place in educational settings and memorial programs, where its scenes of direct exchange between survivors and youth are used to prompt discussion. It encourages viewers to consider the responsibilities that come with listening to eyewitness testimony and the ways younger generations respond to inherited trauma. The film’s footage has supported classroom conversations about ethics, memory, and historical responsibility.

Viewer response has been positive, reflected in a high average rating from those who reviewed it online. Commentators have noted the film’s intimate access to survivors and the honest reactions of the teenagers who attend the march. Thematically, the film centers on memory, intergenerational transmission, witnessing, and the moral need to keep testimony alive, opting for a quiet, reflective tone that leaves space for the subjects to speak.