Vanessa Roth’s 'The Righteous Road Trip' to premiere at Dances With Films

By AI, Created 4:51 PM UTC, May 27, 2026, /AGP/ – Vanessa Roth’s documentary short ‘The Righteous Road Trip’ will world premiere June 22, 2026, at Dances With Films in Hollywood. The film follows Jonny Daniels on a winter journey across Eastern Europe to honor the last living ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ and spotlight empathy, remembrance and moral courage.

Why it matters: - The documentary arrives as antisemitism and social division remain acute, making its message of compassion and resistance especially timely. - The film centers on the last living “Righteous Among the Nations,” preserving rescue stories that are quickly disappearing as those witnesses age into their 90s and 100s. - The project links Holocaust remembrance with a broader call to choose humanity over hatred and compassion over fear.

What happened: - ‘The Righteous Road Trip,’ a 40-minute documentary short, will make its world premiere at Dances With Films on Monday, June 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM. - The screening is set for the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood. - Academy Award and Emmy-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth produced, wrote and directed the film. - The film follows Jewish humanitarian Jonny Daniels and his dog Tyson on a 3,000-kilometer winter trip through Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. - Daniels travels in a van decorated with holiday lights, trees and gifts. - The journey is designed to spread joy and bridge generations, religions and cultures.

The details: - Daniels visits some of the roughly 65 remaining people known as the “Righteous Among the Nations.” - The honorees are non-Jewish individuals recognized for risking their lives to secretly save Jewish people during the Holocaust. - The film uses cinéma vérité footage of Daniels entering the homes of the last living honorees. - Their memories are visualized with animation. - The documentary is presented in English, Polish, Hungarian and Hebrew with English subtitles. - Big Year Productions, Inc. produced the film. - Roth said she felt time is running out to hear and share the stories of these rescuers while they are still alive. - Roth said the film is meant to remind viewers that people can choose humanity over hatred and compassion over fear. - The production team includes Jonny Daniels, Stephen D. Smith, PhD, and Justin Cohen MBE as producers. - Eitan Neishlos, Jonathan Zlotolow, Elizabeth Heyman Winter and Elliott Joseph are executive producers. - Larry and Beth Chofsky and Yael Shaoulian are co-executive producers. - Paul Donnellon handled animation. - Joachim Blomme is the cinematographer. - Michele Loschiavo is the editor. - The film is made in association with 18Reflections, From The Depths, Memory Workers and The Jewish News.

Between the lines: - The Christmas sweaters, holiday lights and gift-filled van give the film a warm, accessible frame for a heavy historical subject. - The multilingual presentation signals an intent to reach audiences across the regions where the journey unfolds. - Roth’s focus on empathy and interfaith bridge-building suggests the film is designed as both remembrance and contemporary civic message.

What’s next: - The film will debut at Dances With Films, where audience response could help shape its festival path and broader release prospects. - More information is available in the film’s announcement. - The project’s public-facing social presence includes the film’s Instagram account.

The bottom line: - ‘The Righteous Road Trip’ uses one holiday journey to spotlight Holocaust rescuers before their stories are lost.