A passionate, enthusiastic, and enlightening exclusive interview with writer/director ROBERT MONIOT discussing the powerfully moving THE ICE CREAM MAN, Oscar Shortlisted for Best Live Action Short.
SYNOPSIS: Shortly after the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands, a popular Jewish ice cream parlor owner, Ernst Cahn, finds himself targeted by the infamous “Butcher of Lyon,” Klaus Barbie. As his world crumbles, “The Ice Cream Man” must choose between resistance and death…a choice that will reverberate throughout the country. Based on actual events.
Written and Directed by ROBERT MONIOT, THE ICE CREAM MAN stars Noah Emmerich as Ernst Cahn (the best performance of his career), Nik Pajic as Klaus Barbie, Gretchen Hall as Ursula Cahn, and Fred Arsenault as Piet Vant Hoff.
After watching THE ICE CREAM MAN multiple times and speaking with writer/director ROB MONIOT in this extended exclusive interview, I have concluded that it was destined for Rob to be the man to tell Ernst Cahn’s story. As you will hear directly from Rob, so many miraculous things happened along the way to and during the making of this film, that only intervention by the Universe, Fate or God could have let this story be told. Rob is so emotional as he talks not just about the film, but about Ernst Cahn. A true story about the happy-go-lucky ice cream parlor owner Ernst Cahn who lived in Amsterdam, loved his family and his friends, and was equally beloved by all of them before being made a scapegoat by Klaus Barbie and the Nazis, arrested, tortured, and ultimately executed when Ernst would not give up a friend to Barbie. This is a story that has waited 83 years to be told; a story that was hidden until serendipitously discovered by ROB MONIOT. And when you watch it, have tissues at the ready; lots and lots of lots of tissues as between the story itself, Rob’s beautiful production values, and Noah Emmerich’s award-worthy performance, there won’t be a dry eye in the house.
Discussing everything from soup to nuts about THE ICE CREAM MAN, a big part of our conversation was directed to the emotional impact of the story and Rob’s preparation (including financing) and attention to detail and historical accuracy. Shot on a tight budget, the film was shot in Columbus, Indiana and the Netherlands. The visual grammar and resulting visual tonal bandwidth courtesy of cinematographer Jim Timperman is visually and emotionally exquisite while the score, composed by Nami Melumad, enhances the emotional impact.
Some of the details you’ll hear Rob discuss are, among others:
- key historical events and personal stories that inspired the creation of THE ICE CREAM MAN
- The February Strike in 1941 in Amsterdam, which was the largest anti-Nazi protest in history, sparked by the Nazis targeting popular Jewish businessman, Ernst Cahn, who owned an ice cream parlor
- The personal connection of the film’s lead actor, Noah Emmerich, whose family had fled Nazi Germany and lived near the ice cream parlor featured in the film. This gave him a deep personal investment in the project.
- The discovery of the beach in the Netherlands where the Nazis executed over 300 resistance fighters, and Ernst Cahn, which became a key visual motif in the film
- balancing the need for historical accuracy with the emotional and narrative demands of the story; by striking this balance between historical accuracy and emotional storytelling, Rob was able to create a powerful and impactful film that honors the real-life events and people while also engaging the audience on a deeply personal level.
- Extensive research into the historical events and figures, including details about Ernst Cahn’s family and their connection to the story. This allowed Rob to ground the narrative in factual events while also uncovering personal stories that could drive the emotional core of the film.
- Collaboration with descendants of Cahn allowed Rob to incorporate additional details and perspectives that enriched the storytelling. This personal connection helped ensure the film honored the real people and events.
- While staying true to the historical facts, there are selectively dramatized certain moments to heighten the emotional impact. For example, the prison scene between Ernst and his wife Ursula was not in the original script but was added based on information from the descendants.
- Visual style is lush and romantic with its use of color, light, and shadow, was intentionally chosen to create a cinematic experience that would transport the audience to the historical period while also conveying the emotional weight of the story.
- The evocative musical score by Nami Melumad was carefully crafted to enhance the emotional resonance of the film without compromising its historical grounding
- working with cinematographer Jim Timperman
- developing a visual grammar that would complement the emotional journey of the story
- designing a lush, romantic, and classic Hollywood look to contrast with the dark and brutal subject matter; achieved through the use of wide shots, deep shadows, and dramatic highlights to shape the actors and the sets
- decision was made to slowly bleed the color out of the film as it progresses so that by the time we reach the beach execution scene, the image is almost black and white – a visual metaphor for the darkness and despair that has overtaken the characters
- close-ups and profiles were carefully chosen to get the audience close to the characters’ emotions, without going too far into extreme close-ups. This balance conveyed the intimacy and humanity of the story
- the visual approach was designed to transport the audience to 1941 Amsterdam, while also heightening the emotional impact through the skillful use of light, shadow, and color.
- finding the right locations that would authentically capture the historical setting of the story
- the ice cream parlor was discovered in Columbus, Indiana; the Zaharoff Ice Cream Parlor which had been meticulously restored to look like it did in the 1900s. The owner, Tony, agreed to let them shoot there for free
- for scenes in Amsterdam, the filmmakers were intentional about filming in the actual locations where the historical events took place, such as the beach where the Nazis executed resistance fighters, the Waterlooplein where Jewish men were rounded up, and the prison cell where Ernst Cahn was held before his execution
- editing process
- editing process was quite challenging due to limited resources and footage accumulated over multiple shooting periods
- importance of editing in creating the film’s visual and emotional impact, blending the beautiful, joyful imagery at the beginning with the increasingly dark and somber tone as the story progresses. Crafting this narrative arc through the editing was crucial to conveying the film’s themes and historical significance.
- musical score and needledrop selection of “We’ll Meet Again”
- collaborating with composer Nami Melumad who was able to take Rob’s musical ideas and inspirations and translate them into a score that subtly surrounds or envelops the viewer, building the emotional impact without drawing too much attention to itself
- Rob wanted a score that was lush, romantic, and had an evocative sound that would complement the emotional depth and historical accuracy of the story
- the selection of “We’ll Meet Again” as a needle drop was a deliberate choice, as the filmmaker learned that there were reports that the real-life character of Ernst Cahn was singing the song as he was being executed. The melancholy version of the song by Vera Lynn in 1941 was used at key moments in the film, including the opening and closing, to bookend the story and reinforce the themes of loss, defiance, and the enduring human spirit in the face of unimaginable tragedy.
- impact and legacy of the film
- developing a curriculum for schools and museums that will accompany the film
- and so much more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 12/23/2024
THE ICE CREAM MAN is Oscar Shortlisted for Best Live Action Short
