Occasional Spies

Occasional Spies follows newly recruited young Jews living in Palestine return to their home countries of Romania, Yugoslavia, Slovakia and Austria, helping the local resistance to fight the German invaders during World War Two. The film highlights the little known history of these heroic acts, not through grand gestures, but through the voices of genuine people. By using both genuine archival and recreated photos based on retellings,the film amplifies the fears and hopes of these young Jewish heroes navigating an increasingly hostile and violent Europe- one they used to call home.

Please note: this film program is available only to viewers in the United States.

Join us for Romanian Jewish History and Collective Memory in Romanian Film, a Zoom discussion between director Oana Giurgiu (Occasional Spies) and historians Cristina A. Bejan and Adrian Cioflâncă. The panel will will air on the ARCS Facebook page. In their confirmation email, ticket purchasers will receive a link to join the Zoom if they are interested in participating. The Q&A takes place Nov. 17 at 9am PT.