About Izidor

Set in 1988, IZIDOR is inspired by the true story of Izidor Ruckel.

Abandoned as a baby after contracting polio, he grew up in one of Romania’s notorious state-run orphanages. These institutions, products of Nicolae Ceaușescu’s communist regime, warehoused tens of thousands of children in bleak conditions, hidden from the world.

Izidor’s story reveals both the devastating toll of systemic neglect and the transformative power of a single act of courageous kindness. His day outside the orphanage with Onisa and her family — brought to life in the film — became a personal turning point and a window into the struggles vulnerable children face everywhere.

After the 1989 Romanian Revolution, Western journalists exposed the once-secret plight of these institutionalized children, sparking a wave of international adoptions. In 1991, at age eleven, Izidor was adopted by a family in the United States.

He went on to become an outspoken advocate for orphans and people with disabilities, changing hearts and inspiring better care for at-risk children worldwide.

To learn more about Izidor and his orphan advocacy work, visit IzidorRuckel.com.