Before he was a Mossad forger, before he became one of Israel’s animation pioneers and long before his cameo in “Schindler’s List,” Joseph Bau was just a guy in a Nazi camp who fell in love. His real story—equal parts horror, romance and resistance—is finally getting the spotlight in “Bau, Artist at War,” a new Holocaust film starring Emile Hirsch and Inbar Lavi. The film doesn’t open till the fall, but a new trailer shows that this is not your typcical holocaust drama.
Not your usual Holocaust movie
Yes, there are camps. Yes, there’s loss. But there’s also love. And humor. And art. This isn’t just a retelling of survival—it’s about how Joseph Bau used his training as a graphic artist to forge documents that saved lives, all while holding onto something most people let go of during the war: hope.
The film introduces us to Bau as a prisoner in the Płaszów concentration camp. That’s where he met Rebecca Tennenbaum. According to the real-life account, when she asked what he was doing standing in the sun with a framed map, he replied, “Waiting for the sun that won’t come—will you take its place?” She did. They got married in the women’s barracks with rings made from a melted spoon.
The man behind the art
After the war, Bau and Rebecca rebuilt their lives in Tel Aviv. He went on to become one of Israel’s first animators, created his own Hebrew fonts and even worked—quietly and brilliantly—for the Mossad. His forged documents were used in the capture of Adolf Eichmann and missions involving legendary spy Eli Cohen.
Emile Hirsch steps in
Joseph Bau is played by Emile Hirsch, best known for “Into the Wild,” “Milk,” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Inbar Lavi, who you may have seen in “Lucifer” or “Eight Gifts of Hanukkah,” plays Rebecca.
Director Sean McNamara says the trailer was released in time for Yom Hashoah to highlight Bau’s legacy. “Joseph Bau’s story reminds us that love, creativity and courage can overcome even the worst darkness,” said McNamara. “It’s a message we all need—now more than ever. We must never forget.”
To learn more, visit www.baumovie.com.
