by FilmInk Staff
She was raised to hate Jews. Now she’s telling one of the most extraordinary Jewish survival stories ever captured on film and the world is watching.
Iranian-born filmmaker Janet Shay grew up with deeply ingrained prejudice. But after moving to Australia, everything changed. What began as a personal awakening became a mission: to listen, to learn and to amplify Jewish voices. Her debut film, Reflections of Courage, is the result — a deeply moving and globally recognised documentary that is already making waves internationally.
And now, it’s arriving home. With its Australian premiere set for Sunday, 20 July at 3:40pm at Cinema Nova (Carlton), as part of the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival.
The film has already earned significant acclaim: Best Feature at the New York Film & Cinematography Awards (2025), Best Director and Best Feature at the Los Angeles Short Film Awards, and Winner of the Cannes World Film Festival, with selections at festivals across Berlin, the European Cinema Festival, and more.
At its heart is the extraordinary story of Eddy Boas, who, as a young boy, survived the Holocaust with his entire family — a rare and almost miraculous outcome. Born in The Hague in 1940, Eddy, along with his parents and brother, was first sent to Westerbork and later deported to Bergen-Belsen, one of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps.
While enduring the horrific conditions of Bergen-Belsen, the Boas family crossed paths with Anne and Margot Frank, whose deaths there would later become symbolic of the millions of lives lost. The Boas family’s survival (against overwhelming odds) is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the lifesaving power of small acts of kindness.
These kinds of stories are becoming rarer with each passing year. Reflections of Courage not only preserves one, but presents it with dignity, urgency, and extraordinary heart.
Following the Australian premiere screening, audiences will have the opportunity to hear from Eddy Boas himself, alongside producer and cinematographer Karl Jenner, in a post-film Q&A.
Tickets are available now via Cinema Nova.
