The Optimist: The Bravest Act is Truth

Based on a remarkable true story, THE OPTIMIST traces the life of Herbert Heller and the unlikely friendship that transforms both him and a young woman searching for her own sense of direction. As a boy, Herbert survived the Holocaust and carried the weight of an unspoken secret for six decades, choosing silence as a way to move through the world. When he meets Abby, a perceptive and intuitive teenager quietly grappling with her own emotional burdens, something shifts. Abby’s curiosity, compassion, and steady presence begin to open a door Herbert long believed was sealed. As Herbert slowly shares the truth of his past, an unexpected bond takes root—one that bridges generations and reveals how connection can illuminate even the darkest corners of memory. Through each other, they discover understanding, healing, and the courage to finally voice what has been held inside. Starring Stephen Lang (Avatar) as Herbert, Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) as Abby, and Luke David Blumm (Where the Crawdads Sing) as young Herbert, THE OPTIMIST is a profoundly moving film about resilience, remembrance, and the life-changing impact of being truly heard. It is a testament to the power of storytelling—and to the hope found in human connection.