History,Documentary
France
Claude Lanzmann's Shoah is a nine-and-a-half-hour documentary film that focuses exclusively on the Holocaust, and it is widely considered to be one of the most important and comprehensive films ever made on the subject. The film is notable for its singular lack of archival footage, instead relying on interviews with survivors, witnesses, and even some former Nazis who were complicit in the genocide.
Lanzmann's approach to interviewing his subjects was meticulously detailed, emphasizing the importance of going beyond broad strokes and extracting even the smallest, most seemingly insignificant details about the Holocaust. This approach allowed Lanzmann to create a multifaceted, harrowing portrait of the genocide, showing how it unfolded over time, in a way that no previous documentary had ever attempted.
Shoah is also notable for its unflinching portrayal of the anti-Semitism that was and still is present in various parts of Europe. Lanzmann's interviews with some of his subjects reveal that, even in the decades following the Holocaust, many people in Germany, Poland, and other countries remained deeply anti-Semitic, harboring resentment and hatred toward Jews.
Overall, Shoah is a landmark film that offers a devastating yet essential look at one of the darkest moments in human history. Its uncompromising approach to documenting the Holocaust – without any editorializing or sentimentality – has made it a touchstone for subsequent films and documentaries on the subject.
