Atlanta Jewish Film Festival – Paper Clips

In a small town on the edge of Appalachia, students undertake a soul-stirring lesson on the Holocaust’s enormity and its six million Jewish victims. In rural Whitwell, Tennessee—mostly white and Christian—middle schoolers start a profound Holocaust education project, collecting paper clips, each one to signify a lost life. Their efforts exceed all expectations, transforming the community and drawing global attention. Emotional interviews with students, teachers, and Holocaust survivors culminate in a railcar’s journey from Germany to the school, to create a lasting memorial. Two decades after winning the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Audience Award and other accolades, this inspiring story continues to challenge prejudice and open hearts, one paper clip at a time.