My Name Is Sara (2022), the poignant biopic directed by Steven Osekowski in his feature debut, has emerged as one of the most unflinching Holocaust dramas in recent years, earning critical acclaim for its raw portrayal of survival and the human cost of hatred. Starring Zuzana MaurĂŠry in a career-defining role as the titular Sara, the film is based on the real-life experiences of Sara GĂłralnik, a Jewish teenager who posed as a Polish Catholic to evade Nazi persecution during World War II. Premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival and now streaming on platforms like Amazon Prime and Tubi, the 111-minute movie has garnered a 91% Rotten Tomatoes score, praised for its “heart-wrenching authenticity” and “unyielding focus on a woman’s agency in the face of annihilation.”
The story unfolds in 1942 Nazi-occupied Poland, where 18-year-old Sara (MaurĂŠry) witnesses the liquidation of her family’s village, forcing her to flee into the forests. With her mother and siblings murdered, Sara adopts the identity of a Catholic orphan, “Sara Nowicka,” and infiltrates a Polish family, navigating suspicion, labor camps, and moral dilemmas while concealing her Jewish roots. The film eschews grand set pieces for intimate terror: Sara’s terror during a Gestapo raid, her silent prayers in hidden bunkers, and the constant fear of discovery by those closest to her. MaurĂŠry’s performance is mesmerizingâa blend of steely resolve and fragile vulnerability that captures Sara’s transformation from innocent girl to hardened survivor.
Osekowski, drawing from GĂłralnik’s memoir My Name Is Sara (co-written with Ellen G. Friedman), crafts a narrative that emphasizes psychological survival over spectacle. Cinematographer AndrĂŠ SzĂĄntĂł’s black-and-white palette evokes documentary realism, with long takes of Sara’s isolation amplifying the dread. Supporting turns add depth: Ann Richardson as the Polish woman who shelters Sara, torn between compassion and prejudice, and young actor Mila Krstic as Sara’s lost sister in flashbacks that gut-punch.
Critics hail it as “essential viewing” (The Hollywood Reporter), “a quiet triumph of resilience” (Variety), and “a Holocaust film that humanizes the unimaginable” (The New York Times). Viewers are equally moved: “Sobbed through the whole thingâSara’s strength is everything” (@FilmSoul, 50k likes). The film’s 2023 Humanitas Prize win underscores its empathetic power.
My Name Is Sara isn’t just historyâit’s a testament to one woman’s unyielding spirit. Stream now; her story demands to be seen.
