I feel apprehensive to review a film of the Holocaust that is harrowing to watch: How heartbreaking to see those who suffered -and died -and to hear the painful stories from those who survived: A patent reminder: The stain of inhumanity of the past, and for generations to come:
The film opens comfortably in a busy neighbourhood with the yellow cabs of New York in America in 1973: We observe a family engaged together, like a happy reunion - this is the film's basis to have the story of the past -retold: It is how the story will evolve, with two survivors meeting together.
This is a film with fleeting images of horror, that will prompt compassion - and anger: The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the true story of 'Colette,' by Arnot Lustig. It is a 'story of a couple who fall in love, but are housed in separate compounds of Auschwitz.' The film moves briskly along in storytelling; and in time, we may be drawn to read the book ourselves?
As nature is unforgiving in itself, I am disturbed by the unforgiving nature of mankind -the pecking order of control - of sadism - and horror of the Nazi regime that the film potently and singularly portrays -in a matter-of-fact way.
Sometimes, the film shows aerial views of the camp at night, with huts illuminated by search lights; and chimneys with smoke, and red fire and ash -airborne in the sky....we feel frightened; we feel alone; we want to be with our family and be safe.
It is a film of the story that is needed to be seen by the cinema audience as one of many films that will reflect the horrors committed by the Nazis. But how do we articulate and share into words, while the film will reverberate, and the book will unmask....
An answer is that the film conveys empathy of love, and courage to survive under an extreme harshness of total Nazi control from annihilation and starvation: But great sadness too, that will loom in ones' own destiny to live as a survivor from the horrors that cannot be forgotten.
Every moment is precious
In a life that is treasured.
God Bless the time clock of life
-least we should forget:
The love that brought us to life!
