THIS ORDINARY THING
A Film by Nick Davis (You Had To Be There / TIFF 2025)
Executive Producer: Albert M. Tapper (Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy)
Cast (A–Z)
F. Murray Abraham, Jeannie Berlin, Eric Bogosian, Ellen Burstyn, Bill Camp, Carrie Coon, Hope Davis, Stephen Fry, Joanna Gleason, Marcia Gay Harden, Mamie Gummer, Harry Hadden-Paton, Jeremy Irons, Bill Irwin, Louisa Jacobson, Kasia Koleczek, Anna Krippa, Stephen Lang, John Leguizamo, Donal Logue, Kelly Macdonald, Helen Mirren, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelli O’Hara, David Hyde Pierce, Martha Plimpton, Lily Rabe, Rufus Sewell, J. Smith-Cameron, David Strathairn, Lily Tomlin.
Release Date
December 5 at Cinema Village (NYC), followed by a national theatrical rollout and VOD release.
A Haunting & Unforgettable Story
THIS ORDINARY THING recounts the extraordinary acts of non-Jewish individuals who helped save Jewish people across Europe during the Holocaust. Blending never-before-seen archival footage with testimonies from more than forty people, the film sheds light on the quiet bravery of individuals who, acting independently and at great personal risk, saved thousands of Jewish strangers from near-certain death. (EG-PR, 2025)
Narrated by an all-star cast, the documentary serves as a timely reminder of the “pockets of goodness” that can rise within a sea of evil: ordinary people choosing compassion over indifference, even when it meant risking everything.
Strikingly, none of the individuals in the film saw themselves as heroes. Their humility lends the project an urgent resonance, prompting viewers to confront a difficult question: What would I have done?
An Ensemble of the World’s Great Actors
The film features some of the most celebrated actors of our time, performing translated excerpts from original transcripts. The cast, including Helen Mirren, F. Murray Abraham, Carrie Coon, Jeremy Irons, Ellen Burstyn, and Stephen Fry, collectively boast:
- 5 Academy Awards (and 20+ nominations)
- 60+ Emmy nominations
- 25+ Tony nominations
Their performances lend gravitas and emotional depth to the powerful firsthand accounts.
Music by Adam Guettel
The score is composed by Tony Award–winner Adam Guettel, known for The Light in the Piazza, Floyd Collins, and numerous other stage and screen works. His music adds an evocative and haunting layer to the film’s emotional landscape.
About Filmmaker Nick Davis
Nick Davis is a filmmaker and writer whose work often explores the intersection of culture, history, and storytelling. His recent documentary, YOU HAD TO BE THERE, which chronicles the 1972 Toronto production of Godspell and its role in shaping the comedy revolution, premiered at TIFF 2025, where it won Second Runner-Up for the Audience Award. The film features Martin Short, Gilda Radner, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, and other icons of comedy.
SA Examiner 