Giado – Holocaust in the Desert

A documentary and animated film. At the young age of 20, Yosef Dadosh was among 3,000 Jews sent from their homes in Benghazi to the Giado concentration camp nestled in the heart of the Libyan desert. Amidst extreme conditions, he bravely chronicled life within the camp through a secret diary. For seven decades, his diary remained locked away in a closet, concealed from the world, until after his passing. Yosef's diary provides a window into the harrowing routine at Giado. It captures the atrocities endured by its inhabitants in real time, offering an account of their suffering. Despite his dedication to raising awareness about the Holocaust of Libyan Jews and fighting for its recognition by the State of Israel, Yosef chose to keep his personal ordeal hidden from his own children. In an endeavor to bring this compelling story to life on the screen, a unique model of the camp was constructed and photographed. Through the use of animations, this model serves as a visual bridge, connecting the haunting texts of the diary with the stark reality of the camp. The movie was screend at the 40th Jerusalem film festival 2023.