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The Optimist: The Bravest Act Is Truth ()

Cast: Stephen Lang, Elsie Fisher, Luke David Blumm, Robin Weigert

Release Date: March 11, 2026

Runtime: 1 hr. 52 mins.

Genre: Drama, Historical

Based on a true story, THE OPTIMIST follows Holocaust survivor Herbert Heller and the unlikely friendship that transforms two lives. At 15, Herbert escaped the Auschwitz-Birkenau death march, carrying the weight of silence for six decades. When he finally breaks that silence, he forms a life-saving bond with Abby, a troubled teenager confronting her own pain. Together, they discover hope, healing, and the transformative power of being truly seen.Starring Stephen Lang (Avatar) as Herbert, Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) as Abby, and Luke David Blumm (Where The Crawdads Sing) as young Herbert, THE OPTIMIST is a profoundly moving film about resilience across generations and the courage it takes to tell the truth.

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Synopsis

Based on a true story, THE OPTIMIST follows Holocaust survivor Herbert Heller and the unlikely friendship that transforms two lives. At 15, Herbert escaped the Auschwitz-Birkenau death march, carrying the weight of silence for six decades. When he finally breaks that silence, he forms a life-saving bond with Abby, a troubled teenager confronting her own pain. Together, they discover hope, healing, and the transformative power of being truly seen.Starring Stephen Lang (Avatar) as Herbert, Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) as Abby, and Luke David Blumm (Where The Crawdads Sing) as young Herbert, THE OPTIMIST is a profoundly moving film about resilience across generations and the courage it takes to tell the truth.