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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

Genre: Drama, Historical

Based on a remarkable true story, THE OPTIMIST traces the life of Herbert Heller andthe unlikely friendship that transforms both him and a young woman searching for herown sense of direction. As a boy, Herbert survived the Holocaust and carried the weightof an unspoken secret for six decades, choosing silence as a way to move through theworld. When he meets Abby, a perceptive and intuitive teenager quietly grappling withher own emotional burdens, something shifts. Abby’s curiosity, compassion, and steadypresence begin to open a door Herbert long believed was sealed.As Herbert slowly shares the truth of his past, an unexpected bond takes root—one thatbridges generations and reveals how connection can illuminate even the darkestcorners of memory. Through each other, they discover understanding, healing, and thecourage to finally voice what has been held inside.Starring Stephen Lang (Avatar) as Herbert, Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) as Abby, andLuke David Blumm (Where the Crawdads Sing) as young Herbert, THE OPTIMIST is aprofoundly moving film about resilience, remembrance, and the life-changing impact ofbeing truly heard. It is a testament to the power of storytelling—and to the hope found inhuman connection.

Synopsis

Based on a remarkable true story, THE OPTIMIST traces the life of Herbert Heller andthe unlikely friendship that transforms both him and a young woman searching for herown sense of direction. As a boy, Herbert survived the Holocaust and carried the weightof an unspoken secret for six decades, choosing silence as a way to move through theworld. When he meets Abby, a perceptive and intuitive teenager quietly grappling withher own emotional burdens, something shifts. Abby’s curiosity, compassion, and steadypresence begin to open a door Herbert long believed was sealed.As Herbert slowly shares the truth of his past, an unexpected bond takes root—one thatbridges generations and reveals how connection can illuminate even the darkestcorners of memory. Through each other, they discover understanding, healing, and thecourage to finally voice what has been held inside.Starring Stephen Lang (Avatar) as Herbert, Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) as Abby, andLuke David Blumm (Where the Crawdads Sing) as young Herbert, THE OPTIMIST is aprofoundly moving film about resilience, remembrance, and the life-changing impact ofbeing truly heard. It is a testament to the power of storytelling—and to the hope found inhuman connection.