An archival shot of Gerda and Kurt Tuchler.

The Flat first screened locally at the 2012 San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, but it's been enjoying successful runs in Israel and Germany for months. In Israel, Goldfinger says, the film has become "an event."

"My aim was to take something that is very singular and personal and try to see the universal emotions and implications of the story — something that is deep enough that many people can share," he says. "But I was very surprised. From the very first screenings, people said, 'It's exactly like in our family.' And what they meant is that in their families, they also didn't ask questions, or they don't know enough about their parents' pasts. I think it goes to show you that many people share these feelings, and that they really identified with what happened onscreen."

THE FLAT opens Fri/2 in San Francisco.