Musia in the forest
A child fights to survive the Holocaust without surrendering her hope, faith, or humanity.
A seven-part historical limited series in development
Child of
Child of
the Forest
“Death was always one step behind me.”
Charlene Schiff
Approval draft: story language, credits, and concept art are presented for producer review before publication.
Based on a remarkable true story
Before the German invasion, Horochów was home to 5,000 Jewish people. Only two survived.
Child of the Forest follows one of them: Shulamit “Musia” Perlmutter, later known as Charlene Schiff.
12 years old
When Musia fled the Nazis and entered the forests of Eastern Poland.
Two years
Spent surviving alone—through hunger, danger, isolation, and brutal winters.
Seven parts
A limited series spanning survival, reinvention, healing, and remembrance.
A world changed forever
A childhood of family, books, and belonging gives way to persecution.
Before the war, Musia’s life was rooted in family and community. The German occupation tears that world apart: her father is taken, the family is forced into the ghetto, and every familiar source of safety begins to disappear.
When an escape plan along a riverbank fails, Musia is separated from her mother. Alone, she enters the forest believing that her family may still be alive—and that she must survive long enough to find them.
She learns to read the forest, shelter beneath leaves and branches, and endure the cold—while fighting to preserve the humanity the world around her is trying to erase.
One life. Three interwoven journeys.
Survival is only the beginning of Charlene’s story.
The limited series moves across three periods of Charlene’s life, revealing how memory can be buried, carried, and ultimately transformed into testimony.
A new life in America
As a young woman, Charlene builds a future while being urged to leave her memories unspoken.
Finding her voice
Later in life, Charlene confronts the past and discovers the strength to share what happened.
Part OneThe Escape
Part TwoThe Forest
Part ThreeThe Winter
Part FourNo One to Trust
Part FiveA Reason to Live
Part SixThe Last Shelter
Part SevenThe Child Is Found
The world of the series
Production design rooted in place, memory, and lived experience.
These early drawings establish the visual language of the project. They are development concepts, not final photography or finished production designs.
From page to screen
Inspired by the award-winning nonfiction book.
Child of the Forest
The limited series is based on Child of the Forest: Based on the Life Story of Charlene Perlmutter Schiff by Jack L. Grossman and James Buchanan.
The book was named the 2019 Best Indie Book Award Non-Fiction Winner.
Producer
Marshall M. Silverman
Film · Law · Business AffairsMarshall M. Silverman has built an extraordinary career at the intersection of film, law, and business affairs, contributing to the development and production of more than 40 feature films in New York, London, and Los Angeles.
Born and raised in New York, Marshall studied both film and law before beginning his career as an entertainment attorney representing clients in theater, music, and film. His expertise soon caught the attention of Twentieth Century Fox, which brought him to Los Angeles. There, he served as a production attorney before moving into executive roles at several studios, including 23 years at Warner Bros. as Vice President and Senior Motion Picture Production Counsel.
Marshall played a key role in shaping some of Hollywood’s most successful franchises, including Batman, Harry Potter, Wonder Woman, Lethal Weapon, and Ocean’s Eleven. His credits also include acclaimed films such as Raging Bull, Kramer vs. Kramer, Contact, The Perfect Storm, The Witches of Eastwick, Disclosure, Grumpy Old Men, The Pelican Brief, and Fame.
Beyond the boardrooms and film sets, Marshall’s story reaches back to a dairy farm in Goshen, New York, where he learned the value of hard work. Those early lessons carried him through a distinguished career marked by creativity, integrity, and leadership in the film industry.
Charlene’s legacy
A survivor’s voice, carried forward.
Charlene Schiff devoted her testimony to challenging four forces that allow evil to take hold.
Indifference
Intolerance
Ignorance
Injustice
Currently in development
Help meaningful stories find their audience.
Child of the Forest is part of the slate supported by The American Hometown Entertainment Fund.
This page describes a project in development. Concept art and creative elements may change as development continues. Historical subject matter is presented with care and respect for the people whose lives and testimony inspire the series.