PPM and the Holocaust Documentary The Cave

 

Emmy Award-winning storyteller Janet Tobias knew she had a film-worthy narrative on her hands when she heard the story of a few Jewish families who hid in a cave in rural Ukraine for much of the German invasion during WII. For the first time in 60 years, four of the survivors of the occupation revisited the dark place they once called home. Their ordeal forms the basis of the documentary The Cave.

 

For the recreation scenes used in the documentary, three filming locations were considered, but the Aggtelek mountain range in Northern Hungary was chosen over the others. Costs in Hungary were generally lower and the locations were more suitable for the shoots, which take place both winter and spring. The beautiful scenery and accessible cave in Aggtelek sealed the deal. PPM helped in every aspect of the production.

 

The greatest challenge of the shoot was without a doubt the freezing winter temperatures and at some locations very deep snow. Aggtelek itself – unchanged for centuries – provided a stunning background, though the crew had to be mindful not to upset or damage the natural setting. Shooting in a cave proved challenging, but the experienced crews accomplished the task on schedule and without setback. The 30-member crew worked at a fast pace in these tough conditions with only one camera. “They work as hard as I ‘ve ever seen on set, always helping, from the minor details to the big decisions,” says director of photography Edu Grau.

 

Director Janet Tobias also appreciated the quality of the PPM crew. “Every unit of the crew was up to the caliber of crews I have worked with in New York and elsewhere in the United States.”

 

Shooting lasted five days over the course of a frigid January and the crew will return to the site for a longer period mid May.

 

PPM Film Services is a Budapest-based film company offering an inspiring and creative work atmosphere for its host of clients from around the world. Since our inception, our focus has been providing the best of the best in terms of local production resources, locations, cast and technical teams to ensure that whatever the production we’re charged to create, we do it with no compromise. To sign up for the PPM Hungary newsletter, have a look here.