My Name Is Sara (2019) – A Story of Survival and Identity in the Shadow of War

In the shadow of war, a name can be the difference between life and death.

“My Name Is Sara” (2019) is a harrowing yet inspiring drama based on the true story of Sara Góralnik, a young Polish Jewish girl who survived the Holocaust by hiding in plain sight. Directed by Steven Oritt, the film captures both the brutality of war and the resilience of a spirit determined to live.

The story begins after Sara escapes the slaughter of her family during World War II. Alone and vulnerable, she assumes a new identity as a Christian orphan and seeks refuge with a farmer and his wife in the Ukrainian countryside. As she helps them tend the land, Sara conceals her heritage while quietly observing the tensions and secrets within the household. Each day becomes a battle of silence and courage, as discovery would mean certain death.

What makes My Name Is Sara powerful is its restraint. Rather than focusing solely on violence, it emphasizes survival through quiet strength, intelligence, and the ability to adapt. Sara’s inner world—her grief, her longing for family, her will to live—becomes the heartbeat of the story, reminding viewers of the countless untold struggles of children during the Holocaust.

Zuzanna Surowy delivers a remarkable performance as Sara, capturing both the fragility and unyielding resilience of a girl forced to grow up too soon. The stark cinematography underscores the bleak beauty of rural Ukraine, creating a haunting contrast between nature’s stillness and humanity’s cruelty.

Ultimately, My Name Is Sara (2019) is more than a survival story—it is a testament to the strength of identity, memory, and the will to endure. It serves as both a deeply personal story and a universal reminder of the costs of hatred and the power of resilience.