Il respiro di Shlomo is a powerful documentary retracing the life and testimony of Shlomo Venezia, one of the survivors of the Sonderkommando at Auschwitz.

The event attracted around 60 people, made up of a diverse audience that included both regular members of the Institute and many new attendees.

The evening was introduced by the Institute’s director, Paolo Barlera, who gave a brief speech about the history of the documentary and its significance within Holocaust remembrance events.

Directed by Ruggero Gabbai, the documentary provides a compelling testimony of the tragedy through the firsthand account of Venezia.

Before the screening, the audience watched a short introductory video from the director. Gabbai spoke about the importance of collecting and preserving survivors’ testimonies so that their stories are not lost.

Despite the weight of the subject matter, the documentary was received with attentiveness and respect, with viewers recognising its profound historical and human significance.

A Q&A session followed the screening, prompting reflections on the importance of historical memory and the ever-present dangers of intolerance and discrimination.

The discussion conveyed a clear message: vigilance is essential to prevent such tragedies from happening again.

The documentary provided a valuable opportunity for reflection and awareness, highlighting the necessity of preserving historical memory as a warning for the future.

“Shlomo was one of the witnesses we interviewed for the Memory Archive back in 1995,” explained Gabbai.

“For me and historians Marcello Pezzetti and Liliana Picciotto, it was immediately clear that he was a unique witness.

“Shlomo represents the testimony of someone who not only saw but also entered the black hole of the twentieth century.

“The Shoah is precisely this: not survival in the extermination camps, not suffering, not deportation, but the murder and annihilation of entire families whose memory can never be recovered.”

Through this initiative, the Italian Cultural Institute in Sydney reaffirmed its commitment to promoting the culture of remembrance, helping to keep alive the awareness of a past that must never be forgotten.