EXCLUSIVE: Trafalgar Releasing has set a March 11, 2026 domestic release for Holocaust drama The Optimist, starring Stephen Lang (Avatar: Fire & Ash) and Elsie Fisher (Tow), with the initial commitment for 700+ theaters.
Set against the landscapes of Northern California, the film is based on the true story of Holocaust survivor Herbert Heller and his connection with a troubled teen. For more than sixty years, children’s store owner Heller (Lang) lived with the weight of the horrors he endured as a 15-year-old imprisoned in Terezin and Auschwitz. As illness forces him to confront the silence he kept—even from his own family—he forms a surprising friendship with Abbey (Fisher), a teenager navigating her own emotional fractures. Through their growing connection, Herbert is inspired to finally share his truth, opening a path toward empathy, forgiveness, and renewal.
Writer-director Finn Taylor and producer Jeanine Thomas spent a decade developing the movie and spent time with Heller before he passed in 2021.
The ensemble cast includes Luke David Blumm, Leah Pipes, Ben Geurens, Ursula Parker, Slavko Sobin, Stella Stocker, Oskar Hes, and Robin Weigert.
The film is produced by Thomas and Noah Lang, and executive producer is Todd Slater of Convoke Media. DOPs are Antonio Riestraand and Alexander Surkala, with editing by Kaufmanova Olina and Rick LeCompte.
Director Finn Taylor stated: “Herbert was a true hero. When Jeanine first told me of his miraculous escape I was transfixed. However witnessing Herbert transform the lives of thousands of teenagers by sharing his story was a bright example of how one person can impact the world. Jeanine tasked me with intertwining these two stories into a script and film. A task we took very seriously. With the help of literally hundreds of people on two continents I believe we have made a film that honors Herbert’s legacy.”
“This film began as a deeply personal promise I made to Herbert: that the truth he carried for so long would not end with him. Ten years later, as we bring The Optimist to theaters nationwide, I feel the weight and the wonder of fulfilling that promise. His story helped me find my own courage, and I hope it will do the same for everyone who sees it,” stated Producer, Jeanine Thomas.
“Playing Herbert has been a great privilege,” added Avatar star Lang in a statement. “Right now we need stories like his to remind us what is possible when you dedicate your life to selflessness and kindness in a world that so often places value on selfishness and cruelty.”
“The Optimist reminds us how storytelling can bridge generations, spark conversations and heal in ways we don’t always expect,” commented Kymberli Frueh, EVP, Programming and Content Acquisitions at Trafalgar Releasing. “We’re proud to bring this deeply moving and profoundly hopeful film to cinemas, where audiences can experience its full emotional impact together.”
The Optimist
Trafalgar Releasing
