With the funeral at Mirogoj and commemoration at Croatian national theatre Zagreb we have said the final goodbyes to our dear Branko. He was a man of many talents, strength, perseverance and determination. In an inspired speech, his daughter Sara summarized in several sentences his life motto, which he conveyed to her, but also to all of us: "I can, I will... and then I must." It is this key sentence, the one that describes him perfectly. From the horrors of the Holocaust to the most significant world accolades, it is a long journey, but because of Branko we know that it is achievable.
He returned from Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen permanently marked but alive, gave the film its best years and in return received a number of great works in his own filmography. Eventually, from the great world that he conquered, he returned to Zagreb and turned to children and youngsters. Through the Festival of Tolerance he toured numerous cities in Croatia and beyond, repeating relentlessly: It must not be forgotten, it must not be repeated, we must never hate.
A great man left us, Mensch left us. If he is not already among us, he has taught us how and why to move on: we can, we will and that is why we must.
Not to forget, to forgive and to teach that hate is never the way.