Explore ‘The Orphan’ (2024), a gripping documentary short film by Jordan Karr-Morse. Discover this powerful and insightful cinematic work.
🕊️ The Orphan (2024) — Documentary Short Film by Jordan Karr‑Morse
A quiet, deeply personal portrait of memory, loss, and moral conviction, The Orphan invites us into the home — and the heart — of Jacques Bude, a 90‑year‑old Holocaust survivor whose life story bridges some of the darkest and most complex chapters of the 20th century. Directed by Jordan Karr‑Morse and produced by Miko Peled, this 13‑minute short is as much about the space Jacques inhabits as it is about the convictions that have shaped his life.
🧠Overview
- Genre: Documentary / Biography / Historical Reflection
- Director: Jordan Karr‑Morse 🎬
- Producer: Miko Peled
- Runtime: ~13 minutes
- Country: United States 🇺🇸 (filmed in Jacques’ home)
- Language: English (with subtitles)
- Release: May 2024
- Premiere & Screenings: Featured in virtual events hosted by cultural and human rights organizations
- Setting: Jacques’ apartment — a living archive of photographs, books, and mementos
Watch full short:
đź“– Story in Brief
Orphaned by the Holocaust, Jacques Bude grew up in the shadow of genocide. In the years after World War II, he lived in post‑war Israel — an experience that would profoundly shape his worldview.
Through Jordan Karr‑Morse’s lens, Jacques recounts:
- His early years: Losing his parents to Nazi persecution, surviving as a child without them.
- Life in Israel: Witnessing the young nation’s struggles and contradictions.
- A moral awakening: How his own history of persecution led him to empathize with Palestinians and speak out for their rights.
The film unfolds at Jacques’ pace, in his own home, surrounded by the objects that hold his memories. There’s no rush, no heavy‑handed narration — just the intimacy of conversation, the rustle of old photographs, and the quiet dignity of a man reflecting on a life lived with conscience.
🎨 Creative DNA & Style
- Intimate camerawork: Karr‑Morse shot the film alone, spending several days with Jacques, letting the camera become part of the furniture.
- Ambient storytelling: The hum of the apartment, the light through the curtains, the way Jacques moves through his space — all become part of the narrative.
- Archival texture: Photographs and keepsakes are shown not as exhibits, but as living companions in Jacques’ daily life.
- Pace as respect: The editing honors Jacques’ rhythm, allowing pauses and silences to speak.
🌟 Themes & Resonance
- Memory & survival: How personal history shapes moral responsibility.
- From victim to advocate: The transformation of trauma into empathy for others facing oppression.
- Home as autobiography: The way our living spaces reflect our inner lives.
- Intergenerational witness: Passing on lived truths before they fade from living memory.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
Pros
- 🎯 Emotional authenticity: Feels like being welcomed into Jacques’ living room.
- 🎥 Minimalist power: No spectacle, just human truth.
- đź’¬ Moral clarity: Shows how personal history can fuel solidarity.
Cons
- ⏳ Short runtime: Leaves you wanting more of Jacques’ life story.
- 🌀 Quiet tone: Those seeking dramatic pacing may find it meditative instead.
đź’ˇ Humanized Takeaway
The Orphan 2024 short film is a reminder that history isn’t just in books — it’s in the voices of those who lived it. Jacques Bude’s story is one of survival, but also of choosing to stand with others facing injustice, even when it’s politically inconvenient. Jordan Karr‑Morse captures this with tenderness and restraint, letting us feel the weight of a life shaped by both loss and love for humanity.
🔍 Find More & Watch
- Palestine Museum US event page — screening details and director’s statement
- FilmFreeway profile — synopsis, credits, and filmmaker bio