Schwarzer Zucker Rotes Blut
As part of the project “Zukunft braucht Erinnerung” the film “Schwarzer Zucker Rotes Blut” by Luigi Toscano was shown on May 19 at the Kasino in Leverkusen.
Film screening at the Bayer Kasino on May 19, 2025
The film tells the moving story of Holocaust survivor Anna Strishkowa.
Anna was registered as a toddler on December 4, 1943, at the Auschwitz ramp without any knowledge of her parents or her place of birth. After being liberated by the Red Army, she grew up with adoptive parents in Ukraine, who had her Auschwitz prisoner number removed to protect her from stigmatization. Questions about her origins and past accompanied her throughout her life.
Luigi Toscano met Anna in 2015 as part of his project “Lest Forget” Deeply moved by her fate, he later decided to research her story. An intensive search for evidence began, leading from Auschwitz to Belarus, Poland, Germany, and Ukraine. The film documents not only Anna's personal journey, but also Toscano's commitment to reconstructing the fate of a woman who was almost wiped out by history.
A discussion with the protagonist Anna Strishkowa was also planned, but unfortunately she was unable to attend due to the war in her hometown of Kyiv. However, filmmaker Luigi Toscano held an intensive discussion with the audience afterwards and answered many questions.
