Bionic Buzz® covered the red carpet of the special premiere screening of Bau, Artist at War at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. Sean McNamara’s powerful historical drama Bau, Artist at War, starring Emile Hirsch (Into The Wild, Milk, Lone Survivor, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Inbar Lavi (Lucifer, Imposters) will have its theatrical release by ShowBiz Direct in the U.S. and Canada on September 26, 2025.
The story of creativity, survival, and love based on Joseph Bau’s memoir, Bau, Artist at War tells the inspirational true story of how Bau used his creativity and skills as a forger to help fellow prisoners survive the horrors of Nazi concentration camps. Despite facing unimaginable adversity, he finds hope and love with fellow prisoner Rebecca (Inbar Lavi).
The film’s impressive ensemble cast also includes Yan Tual (Outlander), Adam Tsekhman (Legends of Tomorrow), and Josh Zuckerman (School Spirits, Sex Drive, 90210). Edward Foy, Chris Cope, Josh Blacker, Eugene Lipinski, Dalias Blake, Pam Kearns, and Tori Griffith round out the cast.
McNamara, known for Soul Surfer and Reagan, directed the film from a script by Deborah Smerecnik, Ron Bass, and Sonia Kifferstein. Executive producers are James Truchard, Kelly Tate, Bruce D. Johnson, Lawrence Mortorff, Jeff Hays, Charles Cooper, Allen Lewis, Robert Murdoch, Matthew Helderman, Thomas Mann, Luke Taylor and Kevin Mitchell. Producers include McNamara, Smerecnik, David Brookwell, Marc Griffith, and Michelle P. Griffith. Toni Farina is co-producer.
For more information visit: www.baumovie.com
Republic Pictures, originally founded in 1935, is an acquisition-only label under Paramount Pictures, revitalized in 2023. The label leverages Paramount Global’s vast worldwide distribution channels, across home entertainment, streaming, television and other platforms, to distribute a wide range of acquired films. Republic Pictures’ recent acquisition titles include the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award-Winner Twinless (Sundance, 2025), Golden Globe® and Academy Award® nominated September 5 (Venice 2024, Telluride 2024), Emmy® and GRAMMY® Award nominated and Producers Guild Award winner The Greatest Night in Pop, NAACP Image Awards nominated Rob Peace (Sundance, 2024) and the upcoming dark comedy, Bad Apples, starring Saoirse Ronan. Additional titles include Blackberry (Berlin 2023), Self Reliance (SXSW 2023), William Friedkin’s final film The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (Venice 2023), Edward Burns’ Millers In Marriage (TIFF, 2024) and The End We Start From (TIFF, 2023).
Red Carpet interviews with Cila Bau and Hadassa Bau (Daughters of Joseph and Rebecca Bau), Christopher York, Brandon Jay, Ashley Paul (Actor, Digital Creator & Music Artist), Deborah Smerecnik (Producer & co-writer Bau, Artist at War), Yan Tual (Actor from Bau, Artist at War, Outlander, Nosdrovia), Ryn Kid (music artist, theme song for Bau, Artist at War), Michelle Griffith and Frank Griffith (Producer of Bau, Artist at War), Emile Hirsch (Actor from Bau, Artist at War, Speedracer, Into the Wild), Sean McNamara (Director/Producer of Bau, Artist at War), Jamee Natella (producer), Starry Venus (music artist/filmmaker), and Ashley Paul (music artist).