God On Trial: a new 90-minute drama for 91Èȱ¬ÌýTwo
Rene Zagger plays Ezra
Ezra is Polish, a devout father of young children, from a small town where he was a glove-maker.
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Rene explains: "The story Ezra brings to the blockhouse is how he lost his mother to the Germans, as well as other people from his village. They were killed indiscriminately. The survivors were then made to bury the old people and grab just a small bundle, leaving behind most of the possessions. They were forced to leave as quickly as they could, boarding the train for Auschwitz.
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"Ezra is a very religious guy and has enormous respect for Akiba, this awe-inspiring rabbi who he knew from his past. Ezra holds on for dear life to his belief in God."
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Rene managed to read the script a couple of times through before he went along to his first audition, which gave him an opportunity to understand his character and the way he develops: "God On Trial just grabbed me from the minute I read it.
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"It was just stunning, so beautifully written and rare for television; very exciting for the theatre but it's usually hard to find this kind of thing on the small screen.
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"Before I went back for my second audition I read it for a third time and it just got better, which in some respects can be really dangerous as you just want the part so much!
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"What I love is that each character has a strong story and brings to the table their own memories and experiences.
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"It's very important that the Holocaust is remembered. We're all getting older and before we know it there won't be many people left who were around when it happened – so I think it's important to forgive but never to forget."
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He continues: "We can't deny that these terrible events took place and it's important to pass on what history has taught us.
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"Unfortunately, in some respects we haven't learnt because events around the world constantly mirror what happened back in the Forties.
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"There are also some very moving moments which I think will appeal to all sorts of people.
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"I'm very proud to be part of this and enjoyed every minute; such a great group of people to work with, actors, crew, director, producer; I really hope to find another job that I get as much from, although it was exhausting both emotionally and physically."
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