A tale of two unlikely BFFs is set to reach households across the country. Kahane Cooperman’s “Joe’s Violin” has been acquired by PBS’ “POV,” Deadline reports. The documentary series will air the Oscar-nominated short sometime this summer.
“Joe’s Violin” chronicles how “a donated musical instrument forges an improbable friendship between 91-year-old Holocaust survivor Joseph Feingold and 12-year-old Bronx schoolgirl Brianna Perez,” Deadline writes. The film “showcases the impact of music and how a small act of kindness unexpectedly brings together a Holocaust-survivor and the young daughter of Dominican immigrants in the Bronx.”
Cooperman is an 11-time Emmy winner who previously served as co-exec producer of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”
“We’re thrilled to include ‘Joe’s Violin’ in ‘POV’s’ 30th season,” commented executive producer Justine Nagan. “During these discordant times, finding stories that remind us of our shared humanity is of particular importance. As ‘Joe’s Violin’ touches on the Holocaust, immigration, the arts, and urban education, it’s a timely reminder of how often our lives are woven together across divides.”
“While I was making this film, I was weeping for two straight years,” Cooperman has said. “I was so moved by what was unfolding before our eyes. I was constantly just in awe of all the goodwill and these wonderful people who were connected,” she shared.
Given Cooperman’s Oscar nomination for Documentary (Short Subject), it’s safe to say Academy members were also moved by Joe and Brianna’s friendship. The Oscars take place February 26.
