In the award-winning documentary short Zaida, Sophie Parens tells the story of her grandfather, Holocaust survivor Dr. Henri Parens, z”l. Born Henri Pusnizowski in Lodz, Poland in 1928, Dr. Parens survived two French detention camps until his mother encouraged him to escape. At age twelve, Henri was on his own. A year later, Henri made it to Pittsburgh where he became a celebrated psychiatrist and psychoanalyst.
Join the Museum for a screening of Zaida, followed by a conversation with Sophie about her film, her grandfather’s legacy, and our responsibility to continue his life’s work.
Sophie Parens is a director, writer, and producer based in New York. Originally from Sleepy Hollow, she graduated from the New School for Drama with a concentration in Directing in 2017. She is the producer and director of the award-winning documentary short, Zaida. By day she does casting, producing, and directing for Simon and Schuster Audiobooks, and by night she is developing her next documentary.
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