Watch Aida's Secrets

Aida's Secrets is an emotional and heart-warming documentary film directed by Alon Schwarz and featuring key participants such as Izak Sagi, his brother Shep Shell and their newly found half-sister, Aida Zasadsinska. The film tells the true story of Izak Sagi, who was born in a displaced persons camp in Germany after World War II. He was given up for adoption at a young age and eventually moved to Israel, where he started his own family. Izak always wondered about his biological family and why his birth mother gave him up, but no one seemed to have any answers. That is, until he received an unexpected phone call one day from a woman named Aida.

Aida was living in Canada and had discovered that she had a half-brother that she never knew about. She had been searching for answers about her own family history and had stumbled across some documents that led her to Izak. Excited by the prospect of finally learning more about his past, Izak and Shep travel to Canada to meet Aida, and the three siblings begin to unravel the secrets of their shared history.

Through a series of interviews, family photos, and historical records, the film reveals the incredible story of their mother, who had survived the Holocaust and had been forced to make a series of difficult decisions in order to protect her family. The film takes us on a journey of discovery as the siblings learn about their mother's past, the circumstances that led to their separation, and the lasting impact of those choices on their lives.

What makes Aida's Secrets such a powerful and engaging film is the way that it blends personal family history with larger historical events. The story of Izak, Shep, and Aida is a microcosm of the experience of many families and individuals who were affected by the Holocaust, and the film does an excellent job of putting their story in context. The interviews with family members and historians provide valuable insights into the history of the displaced persons camps, Jewish immigration to Israel, and the ongoing search for family and identity in the wake of tragedy.

One of the most moving aspects of the film is the way that it captures the emotional journey of the siblings as they come to terms with their past and their newfound relationship with each other. All three individuals are honest and vulnerable on camera, sharing their fears, hopes, and dreams for the future. It is clear that the experience of discovering each other has had a profound impact on their lives, and the film captures that transformation with sensitivity and grace.

Overall, Aida's Secrets is a remarkable documentary that combines personal family history with larger historical events to tell a story that is both heart-wrenching and hopeful. It is a testament to the power of family, identity, and human resilience, and it will leave a lasting impression on anyone who sees it.

Aida's Secrets is a 2017 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 80.