Family Legacy Films:
What They Are & How They Work

Since 2013, I’ve filmed over a thousand family stories worldwide for international humanitarian organizations, including JDC and IFCJ. Most of them were told by elderly people, and often my recordings became their only complete history. Looking back,
I realize how many of those voices are now gone.

Your story, cinematically told

I’m Arik Shraga, an Israeli documentary photographer and filmmaker. I create custom family legacy films—personal documentaries that preserve your family’s stories, values, lessons, and voices for generations.

After a decade of capturing human stories around the world, I made it my mission to offer my filmmaking to anyone who wishes to preserve their family’s legacy in a deeply personal, cinematic film—so they are remembered, cherished, and passed down for generations. Your family’s story is precious. Let’s make sure it’s never left untold.

Why I believe family stories matter

Russia, St. Petersburg, 1990. My grandmother and I

My grandmother and I, 1990 — one of the few photos of us together and one of my most cherished.

Filmmaker Arik Shraga conducting an interview

Family stories have always been deeply important to me. As a child, I loved listening to my grandmother’s memories, and I regret that no one recorded them. As soon as I learned documentary filmmaking, I started capturing my own family’s history— creating a WWII family film and recording annual birthday interviews with my teenage daughter, a living time capsule of her voice, thoughts, and dreams.

In 2025, I created a film about my father, who had passed away more than a decade earlier. I never recorded him while he was alive, and this taught me a powerful lesson: we postpone capturing the voices and stories of those we love until it’s too late.

That’s why every family story I film feels deeply meaningful. Someone’s unique life is preserved forever, ready to be shared—not just today, but for decades to come, when these voices and faces will mean even more. And your family’s story is just as precious.

What is a family legacy film?

A family legacy film is a personal, cinematic documentary that preserves your family’s voices, values, and life stories for generations to come.

Each film is:

Built around intimate interviews with loved ones
Enriched with archival photos, videos, and footage from meaningful places
Filmed and edited with a cinematic, documentary approach
The story is told in full cooperation with the client
Designed as a timeless keepsake for children, grandchildren, and generations beyond

Your life is already full of incredible stories. Let’s preserve them beautifully—before they’re lost.

How it works: creating your family legacy documentary

Creating a Family Legacy Film is a powerful way to preserve your family’s unique story for generations.
Whether you’re inspired by an upcoming special occasion or simply want to create a lasting record, this process ensures your memories are captured beautifully.

Here’s how it works—expand each step to see the details:

- Discovery call
  Once you reach out, we start with a friendly conversation online or offline to learn about your family, your story, and what you hope to capture in your film.
- Planning
  Together, we decide on locations, people to interview, and what archival photos or videos to include.
- Interview Preparation
  I’ll send my interview questions for review ahead of time, ensuring the conversation flows naturally and captures the essence of your family’s story.
- Filming
  I’ll come to the location of your choice to record heartfelt interview(s) and authentic family moments, capturing the essence of your story.
- Editing
  Your story comes to life through professional editing, sound design, and cinematic color grading.
- Revision
  I’ll send you the movie for revision. Together, we’ll refine the content. Up to 3 revisions are included in each package.
After the final cut is approved, you’ll get the following deliverables:
- Finished Family Legacy Film, ready to share and treasure for generations.
- The uncut version: The interview(s) with minor technical edits. This version will become a treasured family document for safekeeping.
Delivery and Storage. Your documentary will be uploaded to a private cloud service for secure sharing. Additionally, you’ll receive a custom-made flash drive for long-term storage, ensuring the film is preserved safely.
Privacy
Your family documentary will remain private unless you choose to share it publicly.

A quiet moment between interview shoots, with producer Alex Weisler

In their words

Michelle C., Jerusalem

I had the pleasure of working with Arik Shraga who prepared a documentary in honor of my parents' 50th wedding anniversary.

Arik and I communicated at length regarding our expectations for the project and asked questions to give us direction. He visited my parents in their home several times in order to conduct the interviews and took pictures of them in their natural environment.

Because of his vast knowledge and background in European history, he was also able to bring in his own pictures of places that my parents referred to.

Upon completion of the project, we received an edited movie that we shared with the rest of the family as well as all the raw footage from my parents’ interview.

The movie is now a treasured testament to our family's history and a message for future generations.

The experience of working with Arik was smooth and very pleasant.