SEARCHING FOR VICTOR "YOUNG" PEREZ

The Boxer of Auschwitz

When actor Tomer Sisley first heard about Victor “Young” Perez, he couldn’t believe his ears. Inspired to make a movie about his life, Sisley became fascinated with the long-forgotten story of Perez, who rose to great fame in 1931 as the youngest world champion in boxing history—only to be deported to Auschwitz, where he was forced to box in the concentration camp for the amusement of the guards. This compelling documentary follows Sisley on his quest to learn more about Perez’s harrowing, emotional story and to meet the last people who knew Perez and the secret of his tragic fate.

THE FILMMAKER

After completing her philosophy studies and training in Media Studies at New York University, Sophie Nahum made her debut at Doc en Stock in 2000 with her film, Will You Live Past 100? She began as assistant and then became director on many documentaries – mainly for Arte.

Sophie is passionate about biotechnology and medical innovation. She has directed several films on a wide variety of subjects including Demain les Clones (Clones), Tous centenaires! (“Will You Live Past 100?”) and La Vie à Tout Prix (Life at All Costs).

Other social issues she has focused on have included prostitution in Maisons Closes Et Si On Rouvrait? (Brothels: What If We Actually Allowed Them?) and transsexuals in Sexe (The Gender Frontier).

Sophie’s goal is to always make information accessible through strong storytelling and by choosing interesting, unusual ways to examine difficult subjects. She has been editor-in-chief of the television magazine show Us, which airs in France on Channel 2. Sophie also has a blog on the Huffington Post.

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