Oma Bella

Two older Jewish women, best friends who live together in Berlin (and one of whom, Regina “Oma” Karolinski, is the filmmaker’s grandmother), are Holocaust survivors who have remained in Germany since the war. Oma and Bella spend their days telling stories and cracking jokes, dispensing advice, and devoting the majority of their time to their greatest love of all—cooking. Their cooking is a passionate connection to their culture and heritage, a demonstration of their creativity and skill, and a showcase for some of the most unique and delicious looking dishes we’ve ever seen on film (Karolisnki has also recently self-published a cookbook featuring Oma and Bella’s one-of-a-kind recipes).

OMA & BELLA paints an intimate portrait of two incredibly strong, funny, endearing women who look candidly at their lives as they both wrestle with the past and engage with the present.