I had a difficult childhood, shaped by severe abuse, which has given me a profound understanding of suffering. This may be why I feel a deep connection with Jewish people, whose resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship inspires me. My fascination with Israel stems from admiration for how Israelis confront adversity with strength and dignity. While I am not Jewish, my heart often feels otherwise.

The reason I am compelled to bring my personal story into this film is crucial: it is part of my journey and the foundation of my latest project, Mother of Hate. This film explores the alarming rise in antisemitism following the events of October 7th and the growing demonisation of Israel. Through this work, I aim to uncover the roots of hatred, challenge misconceptions, and foster a more truthful and empathetic understanding of history. It is a testament to the transformative power of re-education and a call to confront ignorance with knowledge.

My name is Aro Korol, a Polish-born British filmmaker and an atheist raised in a deeply religious Christian environment. At 19, while working on Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, I was confronted by the stark, undisguised realities of the Holocaust—an epoch of pain and torment that had been conspicuously absent from my education in Poland.

Indeed, the Polish education system hid from us the cruel realities. Our teachings at school, even during a poignant visit to Auschwitz at 15, focused on Polish sufferings and highlighted the sacrifice of a Catholic hero, Maximilian Kolbe, while obscuring the anguished cries and unspeakable sufferings of the Jewish people. We, the youth, were shielded from the horrible truths, fed with tales that bypassed an important facet of history.

Soon after, I left Poland for Paris, where I lived with my Jewish partner. He introduced me to his Jewish friends in Paris and New York, where I spent a significant amount of time. I was very proud of being Polish, and then another pivotal moment happened. I had the privilege to meet Broadway mogul Gerry Schoenfeld and his wife. I invited them for a trip to Poland. Gerry was very kind to me and an incredibly nice person. He was the first person who called me an artist. So, when he responded, “I will never go to Poland; they are all antisemites,” it was a shocking statement. Nonetheless, it was like a cold shower that awakened me. We went together to Poland with his wife Pat, who was extremely patient with my ignorance.

I began to delve deeper, asking more questions and educating myself not only about the Holocaust but also about the involvement of Polish people in it. I learned about the pogroms and how my fellow Poles had murdered Jews both during and after the war. Before the war, 5,000 Jews lived in my hometown. Now, they have all vanished without a trace! Aside from a plaque commemorating the synagogue and a section of the Jewish cemetery, through which a high-speed road now runs, there is no reminder of the Jewish inhabitants.

What became of their homes? Why does nobody seem to know anything? Nobody saw anything, nobody heard anything, and nobody remembers anything. In a small town of sixteen thousand, the memory of 5,000 people has been erased. Why isn’t anybody asking about them? How many similar places exist in Poland?

I discovered that the large factory ‘Cementownia Goleszów’, located 2 miles from my childhood home, was the largest Auschwitz sub-camp, Golleschau. I was 48 years old when I learned this, and to this day, many have no idea.

This collective silence is an effect of years of antisemitic propaganda spread in Poland by the Catholic Church.

This experience of discovery helped me understand that not knowing all the facts might lead to misconceptions. These revelations, combined with the recent rise of antisemitism, have driven me to create Mother of Hate, a film that seeks to confront these issues head-on. It’s not just a reflection of my personal journey but a necessary exploration of how hatred and ignorance perpetuate through history and society.

Aro Korol