See, Hear, and Feel the Words of Elie Wiesel — Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire

Sep 2, 2025 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Two Sues on the Aisle, Susie Rosenbluth and Sue Weston

Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire is a documentary of epic proportions, a touching testament to the man who devoted his life to never letting the world forget the atrocities perpetrated during the Holocaust. As he said, “Sometimes I’m afraid the tale might be forgotten. Sometimes I’m afraid it is forgotten already.” This powerful documentary uses clips and photographs to share Wiesel’s story, along with hand-painted animation by Joel Orloff and a score by Osvaldo Golijov.

Elie saw his mission in life as bearing witness. His memoir, Night, recounts portions of the depravity he witnessed:

“When he watches a young boy die slowly by hanging, and repeats the question posed by someone in the crowd: “Where is God now?” Wiesel writes, “I heard a voice within me answer him. Where is He? He is hanging here on this gallows…”

Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire explores Wiesel’s life in a picturesque European shtetl (Sighet, Romania) until he was deported with his family to Auschwitz. It chronicles his struggles, told in his own words and voice, using interviews from his wife Marion and son Elisha, to create an intimacy with the soft-spoken giant.

Elie maintained that while others can learn about the Holocaust, only those who lived through it can truly comprehend its depths and significance; it is impossible to imagine.

He made the Holocaust personal, educating others, using words and a soft touch. He spoke about reconciliation and forgiveness to future generations for the evil acts committed by ancestors; he focused on the victims. His focus extended to human rights issues, and on National television, he confronted President Ronald Reagan about visiting a German cemetery where SS officers were buried, and pleaded with President Clinton to act during the war in Bosnia.

Elie Wiesel (1926-2016), a writer, professor, political activist, and Holocaust survivor who received the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Nobel Peace Prize. He was one of the most public and prolific survivors, a voice for those who perished in the Holocaust.

The documentary Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire provides insights into what shaped the consciousness of Wiesel. He explains how he and his entire community were deported to Auschwitz, where his younger sister and mother perished immediately. Wiesel and his father focused on staying alive. Together, they were forced to march to Buchenwald in the winter of 1945. At age 16, when he was liberated, an orphan, he was sent to France, where he reunited with his sisters, Hilda and Bea.

Elie was compelled to put his experience into words, spending ten years after his liberation, writing a memoir in Yiddish, Un di velt hot geshvign (And the World Remained Silent), which was later shortened and translated into French as La Nuit (1958) and into English as Night in 1960.

The documentary includes interviews with his wife, sisters, and family, with a special focus on his son and grandson, showing the continuum and lasting nature of Wisel’s legacy. Night is still being taught in schools to help students better understand the consequences of hatred and inaction. The documentary includes footage from a classroom where the teacher leads a discussion.

Eighty years after the Holocaust, the same issues are still relevant.

Wiesel devoted his life to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and honoring those who were murdered. He wrote over 50 books and delivered speeches about the sin of indifference, the importance of not remaining silent, and the importance of speaking the truth to those in power.

Two Sues on the Aisle bases its ratings on how many challahs (1-5) it pays to buy (rather than make) to see the play, show, film, book, or exhibit being reviewed.

Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire received 4 Challahs.

four challah rating

Presented by Oren Rudavsky Productions, American Masters Pictures, and Panorama Pictures

Running Time – 88 Minutes

Scheduled Opening At Theaters:

New York

- September 5 – 11 – NY – IFC Cinemas- 6^th Avenue and 4^th Street
- Starting September 5
  - Cinema Arts Center in Huntington
  - Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville
  - North Shore Towers Cinema in Queens
- September 30 SOUTHAMPTON PLAYHOUSE