MINNESOTA, USA — A Minnesota man's story has spread far and wide -- thanks to his niece's award-winning documentary.
"Stalag Luft III – One Man's Story" is told by U.S. Eighth Air Force Bombardier Lt. Charles Woehrle, one of 10,000 prisoners of war in Stalag Luft III. Woehlre, a former St. Paul resident, takes the audience from Minnesota to war-torn Europe.
The documentary retells Woehrle's B-17 being shot down, his capture by Nazis, his 70-mile forced march in below-zero weather, and finally, his survival of two long years as a prisoner of war.
Director Louise Woehrle will speak with KARE 11 Saturday.
"I witnessed the impact my Uncle Charles had on people wherever he went and knew his stories could touch many more lives if I could document them in a film," she wrote in a release.
While her uncle is the subject of the film, Woehrle said it's not a tribute film. Instead, she said it's a human story about a man overcoming great adversity through creativity, kindness and compassion.
"I have witnessed a healing impact of the film on family members whose loved ones couldn’t talk about the war and on young people hungry for real stories in history,” she wrote.
The film has received two film festivals' Audience Choice Awards for "Best Feature Documentary," and “Best of Fest” (2019) and “Honorable Mention” for Best Documentary at the 38th Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival. Louise Woehrle was also named Filmmaker of the Month by the Breckenridge Film Festival.
“Stalag Luft III – One Man’s Story” will be broadcasted on Twin Cities Public Television on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 4:27 p.m.
Woehrle is already working on her next project -- a new documentary titled "Mecklenburg County."
