FILMS

One of the biggest box office hits of the year in France, Farewell, Mr. Haffmann is a gripping WWII thriller that tells the story of Joseph Haffmann, a gifted Jewish jewelry-maker. When the Nazis occupy Paris, Haffmann arranges for his family’s escape but fails to get himself out of the city in time. Having already struck a deal with his right-hand man, François, and François’s wife, Blanche, to take over his shop, he now finds himself somewhat at their mercy. As the plot unfolds revealing unpredictable twists and turns, we are immersed in a story pitting the tragic consequences of complicity against the human drive to survive. Based on an award-winning play and featuring outstanding performances by Daniel Auteuil (Haffmann), Gilles Lellouche (François), and Sara Giraudeau (Blanche), Farewell, Mr. Haffman is a morality tale of greed, courage, deception, and empathy.  

Official Selection – Haifa International Film Festival, San Francisco Jewish Film Festival  

Winner – Audience Award – Atlanta Jewish Film Festival  

Winner – Audience Award – Sedona International Film Festival  

“Rich in moral and ethical complexity, Farewell, Mr. Haffman shows us the distortions of human relationships and behavior that arise as competing desires mount, pressures rise, and one person’s decisions irrevocably change the course of another’s life.” – Michele E. Hawkins, BMA Magazine  

“Cavayé’s film invites viewers to ask themselves that uncomfortable question: ‘What would I have done?’ It explores a grey zone in which pragmatic, strategic choices aimed at simple survival become active collaboration. It asks: ‘When does the enemy become my friend, and my friend the enemy?’” – John McDonald, Australian Financial Review  

In person screening
Sunday, April 23, at 7pm | The Oaks Theater

Watch the trailer: