Three Brothers in Shanghai
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
History, Documentary
The Gewing brothers are among the last survivors of the Shanghai Jewish community. Their recollections paint a vivid picture of growing up as refugee children in a perilous world. Your support will help bring to life a significant historical event unfamiliar to many audiences.
Three Brothers in Shanghai
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
History, Documentary
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $19,699 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
82 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
The Gewing brothers are among the last survivors of the Shanghai Jewish community. Their recollections paint a vivid picture of growing up as refugee children in a perilous world. Your support will help bring to life a significant historical event unfamiliar to many audiences.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
***Thank you! That you believe in this project means the world to us. We have met our minimum funding goals and are now in the “stretch” phase of the campaign. Additional funds will be used to pay a composer to score the movie, add animation to enliven the presentation, and submit to additional film festivals.***
SUMMARY
To escape the Nazis in Austria, the Gewing family fled to Shanghai. Their young sons managed against the odds to adapt and thrive in a perilous world. Among the last of the Jewish Shanghai survivors, the brothers’ story opens a window into an important but largely unknown part of history.
ESCAPE FROM AUSTRIA
The Gewing brothers–twins Heinz and Ernst (Ehud), and older brother Walter–fled Austria with their parents to escape the Nazis. After taking a train to Trieste, Italy, they embarked on a month-long transatlantic ship voyage to Shanghai, one of the few places in the world willing to accept Jews. Torn apart by war, the crowded and dangerous port city became a haven for more than 18,000 desperate refugees.
LIFE IN SHANGHAI
The close-knit Gewing family faced poverty, illness and deportation to the ghetto with resilience and a wry sense of humor. The three brothers spent their childhood in Shanghai–exploring city streets and alleyways, attending school, playing ping pong, and skirting authorities. But their parents’ choices, including a critical decision made at the end of the war, forever impacted their lives.
CONTEXT
Commentary from historians with expertise in 20th century Jewish life in Austria and Shanghai will be woven into the film. The project’s rich illustrative features include family photos, as well as material from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and other archival sources.
OUR APPROACH
Through the brothers’ shared memories, the documentary explores what it was like to be a child in Shanghai. Their conversations reveal the enduring nature of sibling bonds and the long-term impact of parental decisions. Viewers will meet Heinz, Ehud and Walter as children through their memories and photos, and in real time as adults in the final decades of life.
WHY I’M MAKING THE FILM
My career as a unit production manager takes me behind the scenes on independent films, commercials and music videos. I make sure that all the pieces are in place to bring someone else’s vision to life. Now, I’m stepping in front of the camera, because this time it’s personal. The film is about my grandfather and great uncles, men I love and admire.
When I was younger, I was mesmerized when my relatives talked about their experiences growing up in Shanghai. As an adult, I realized there were gaps in the story, and I wanted to know more. So, over a decade ago, I picked up a camera and started filming whenever the brothers were together. These conversations form the core of the project.
The Gewing family’s narrow escape from Nazi Austria and their experiences in Shanghai speak to the challenges faced by refugees everywhere when borders close and options narrow. With anti-semitism and xenophobia on the rise, their story needs to be told now.
WE NEED YOU!
We’ve interviewed the brothers. We’ve interviewed the experts. We’ve created a trailer. But there’s more to be done in order to cross the finish line. That’s where you come in.
Your support will allow us to start post-production, including editing, color correction, and sound mixing. The money raised will also be used to market the film and enter film festivals.
Stretch goal! If we exceed 100% funding, we’ll be able to pay for a composer to score the movie, add more animated shots, and increase the number of festival submissions.
INCENTIVES
To entice you, we’re offering a variety of incentives: Instagram shoutouts, a signed movie poster, a private link to the film, and a personal “thank you” in the film’s credits. Also, your donation is tax-deductible! Three Brothers in Shanghai is a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions in support of Three Brothers in Shanghai are payable to IDA and are tax-deductible, less the value of any goods or services received, as allowed by law. The value of goods and services offered is noted under each donation level. If you would like to deduct the entire donation, decline the reward at checkout.
THANK YOU
I'm so thankful to have been able to interview Heinz Gewing and Walter Gewing before they passed away last year. Likewise, I'm grateful to Ehud Gewing for sharing his story with me, as well as to diplomats Ho Feng-Shan and Chiune Sugihara for their courageous efforts to help Jews escape Europe by way of Shanghai. Their actions saved the lives of thousands of people, including my family. Also, a big shout out to the experts and crew who assisted in filming the interviews. And thank you for your interest in Three Brothers in Shanghai. Your support means the world to me.
WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR FILM
- Donate to the Three Brothers in Shanghai Seed&Spark Campaign
- Follow @ThreeBrothersinShanghai & @SeedandSpark on Social Media
- Use #ThreeBrothersinShanghai on Social Media
- Visit ThreeBrothersinShanghai.com
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Sound Supervisor
Costs $1,000
We'll need someone to handle post sound. Tasks will include balancing dialogue, sound effects, foley, and music in the final mix
Color Correction
Costs $1,000
Color Correction will create a visually engaging color space of the footage to supports the emotional tone of the story.
Animation
Costs $3,000
We'll need animation to visualize some of the brothers' dramatic stories (their father’s arrest in Vienna, the ship voyage, etc.)
Festival Costs
Costs $500
Film festivals usually charge a submission fee and travel expenses for a premiere or Q&A.
Publicist
Costs $750
We'll need a publicist to manage and promote the film’s image, ensuring it gets visibility, and generating positive buzz.
Lawyer
Costs $750
A lawyer will keep us compliant with laws and regulations, such as securing rights, managing intellectual property and resolving disputes.
Editor
Costs $1,750
An editor plays a crucial role in shaping the final product by assembling and refining the raw footage into a coherent, polished movie.
Accounting
Costs $750
A film accountant manages the financial aspects of a film production, making sure the job is kept of the budget
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Share this update!
About This Team
Director/Producer – Nick Andrus was born and raised in San Francisco. He earned his BA in History and Critical Studies in the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. Nick is a DGA Unit Production Manager who has worked on feature films, commercials and music videos. His credits include documentaries From Here to There and Memes & Nightmares, which was produced by Lebron James and premiered at Tribeca. He has also worked on dozens of narrative feature films, including Sundance projects The Greasy Strangler, R#J, and Land. His resume includes commercials for national brands and music videos for high profile artists. A lover of documentary film and a lifelong student of the craft of film-making, Nick was inspired by the Gewing brothers’ story to step out of his professional comfort zone and expand his own creative practice.
Writer/Producer – Jenny Gewing Andrus is a librarian and writer with a focus on true stories. A graduate of UC Santa Cruz (BA) and Yale University (MPH), her passions include research, oral history, and storytelling. Her picture book Elsa’s Chessboard, based on the life of her grandmother, a chess-playing refugee, is being published by award-winning Neal Porter Books in 2025. Jenny believes in the power of a strong narrative to move audiences, whether in film or literature, and she is grateful that this project is in the talented hands of Nick and Michael.
Editor - Michael Gil is a film editor and producer based in Los Angeles. He has worked on documentary, narrative and experimental films, and frequently returns to themes of memory and identity, seeking out the personal narratives and poetic truths that transcend the cold cynicism and comfortable simplifications of our increasingly mechanistic world. It is his ambition to create engaging media that can catalyze positive change and inspire empathy. His work has aired on PBS, screened at festivals globally, and served as educational resources in classrooms and for nonprofits throughout the United States. He is a descendant of Austrian Holocaust survivors on his father's side, and a large family of southeast asian Jews on his mother's. He earned his B.A. from Harvard University, where he studied Philosophy and Cognitive Neuroscience. He earned his M.F.A. in Film Production at the University of Southern California, School of Cinematic Arts.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
***Thank you! That you believe in this project means the world to us. We have met our minimum funding goals and are now in the “stretch” phase of the campaign. Additional funds will be used to pay a composer to score the movie, add animation to enliven the presentation, and submit to additional film festivals.***
SUMMARY
To escape the Nazis in Austria, the Gewing family fled to Shanghai. Their young sons managed against the odds to adapt and thrive in a perilous world. Among the last of the Jewish Shanghai survivors, the brothers’ story opens a window into an important but largely unknown part of history.
ESCAPE FROM AUSTRIA
The Gewing brothers–twins Heinz and Ernst (Ehud), and older brother Walter–fled Austria with their parents to escape the Nazis. After taking a train to Trieste, Italy, they embarked on a month-long transatlantic ship voyage to Shanghai, one of the few places in the world willing to accept Jews. Torn apart by war, the crowded and dangerous port city became a haven for more than 18,000 desperate refugees.
LIFE IN SHANGHAI
The close-knit Gewing family faced poverty, illness and deportation to the ghetto with resilience and a wry sense of humor. The three brothers spent their childhood in Shanghai–exploring city streets and alleyways, attending school, playing ping pong, and skirting authorities. But their parents’ choices, including a critical decision made at the end of the war, forever impacted their lives.
CONTEXT
Commentary from historians with expertise in 20th century Jewish life in Austria and Shanghai will be woven into the film. The project’s rich illustrative features include family photos, as well as material from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and other archival sources.
OUR APPROACH
Through the brothers’ shared memories, the documentary explores what it was like to be a child in Shanghai. Their conversations reveal the enduring nature of sibling bonds and the long-term impact of parental decisions. Viewers will meet Heinz, Ehud and Walter as children through their memories and photos, and in real time as adults in the final decades of life.
WHY I’M MAKING THE FILM
My career as a unit production manager takes me behind the scenes on independent films, commercials and music videos. I make sure that all the pieces are in place to bring someone else’s vision to life. Now, I’m stepping in front of the camera, because this time it’s personal. The film is about my grandfather and great uncles, men I love and admire.
When I was younger, I was mesmerized when my relatives talked about their experiences growing up in Shanghai. As an adult, I realized there were gaps in the story, and I wanted to know more. So, over a decade ago, I picked up a camera and started filming whenever the brothers were together. These conversations form the core of the project.
The Gewing family’s narrow escape from Nazi Austria and their experiences in Shanghai speak to the challenges faced by refugees everywhere when borders close and options narrow. With anti-semitism and xenophobia on the rise, their story needs to be told now.
WE NEED YOU!
We’ve interviewed the brothers. We’ve interviewed the experts. We’ve created a trailer. But there’s more to be done in order to cross the finish line. That’s where you come in.
Your support will allow us to start post-production, including editing, color correction, and sound mixing. The money raised will also be used to market the film and enter film festivals.
Stretch goal! If we exceed 100% funding, we’ll be able to pay for a composer to score the movie, add more animated shots, and increase the number of festival submissions.
INCENTIVES
To entice you, we’re offering a variety of incentives: Instagram shoutouts, a signed movie poster, a private link to the film, and a personal “thank you” in the film’s credits. Also, your donation is tax-deductible! Three Brothers in Shanghai is a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions in support of Three Brothers in Shanghai are payable to IDA and are tax-deductible, less the value of any goods or services received, as allowed by law. The value of goods and services offered is noted under each donation level. If you would like to deduct the entire donation, decline the reward at checkout.
THANK YOU
I'm so thankful to have been able to interview Heinz Gewing and Walter Gewing before they passed away last year. Likewise, I'm grateful to Ehud Gewing for sharing his story with me, as well as to diplomats Ho Feng-Shan and Chiune Sugihara for their courageous efforts to help Jews escape Europe by way of Shanghai. Their actions saved the lives of thousands of people, including my family. Also, a big shout out to the experts and crew who assisted in filming the interviews. And thank you for your interest in Three Brothers in Shanghai. Your support means the world to me.
WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR FILM
- Donate to the Three Brothers in Shanghai Seed&Spark Campaign
- Follow @ThreeBrothersinShanghai & @SeedandSpark on Social Media
- Use #ThreeBrothersinShanghai on Social Media
- Visit ThreeBrothersinShanghai.com
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Sound Supervisor
Costs $1,000
We'll need someone to handle post sound. Tasks will include balancing dialogue, sound effects, foley, and music in the final mix
Color Correction
Costs $1,000
Color Correction will create a visually engaging color space of the footage to supports the emotional tone of the story.
Animation
Costs $3,000
We'll need animation to visualize some of the brothers' dramatic stories (their father’s arrest in Vienna, the ship voyage, etc.)
Festival Costs
Costs $500
Film festivals usually charge a submission fee and travel expenses for a premiere or Q&A.
Publicist
Costs $750
We'll need a publicist to manage and promote the film’s image, ensuring it gets visibility, and generating positive buzz.
Lawyer
Costs $750
A lawyer will keep us compliant with laws and regulations, such as securing rights, managing intellectual property and resolving disputes.
Editor
Costs $1,750
An editor plays a crucial role in shaping the final product by assembling and refining the raw footage into a coherent, polished movie.
Accounting
Costs $750
A film accountant manages the financial aspects of a film production, making sure the job is kept of the budget
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Share this update!
About This Team
Director/Producer – Nick Andrus was born and raised in San Francisco. He earned his BA in History and Critical Studies in the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. Nick is a DGA Unit Production Manager who has worked on feature films, commercials and music videos. His credits include documentaries From Here to There and Memes & Nightmares, which was produced by Lebron James and premiered at Tribeca. He has also worked on dozens of narrative feature films, including Sundance projects The Greasy Strangler, R#J, and Land. His resume includes commercials for national brands and music videos for high profile artists. A lover of documentary film and a lifelong student of the craft of film-making, Nick was inspired by the Gewing brothers’ story to step out of his professional comfort zone and expand his own creative practice.
Writer/Producer – Jenny Gewing Andrus is a librarian and writer with a focus on true stories. A graduate of UC Santa Cruz (BA) and Yale University (MPH), her passions include research, oral history, and storytelling. Her picture book Elsa’s Chessboard, based on the life of her grandmother, a chess-playing refugee, is being published by award-winning Neal Porter Books in 2025. Jenny believes in the power of a strong narrative to move audiences, whether in film or literature, and she is grateful that this project is in the talented hands of Nick and Michael.
Editor - Michael Gil is a film editor and producer based in Los Angeles. He has worked on documentary, narrative and experimental films, and frequently returns to themes of memory and identity, seeking out the personal narratives and poetic truths that transcend the cold cynicism and comfortable simplifications of our increasingly mechanistic world. It is his ambition to create engaging media that can catalyze positive change and inspire empathy. His work has aired on PBS, screened at festivals globally, and served as educational resources in classrooms and for nonprofits throughout the United States. He is a descendant of Austrian Holocaust survivors on his father's side, and a large family of southeast asian Jews on his mother's. He earned his B.A. from Harvard University, where he studied Philosophy and Cognitive Neuroscience. He earned his M.F.A. in Film Production at the University of Southern California, School of Cinematic Arts.