“Films about rescue during the Holocaust” depict the courageous efforts of individuals and groups who risked their lives to save Jewish people and other targeted groups from the atrocities of the Holocaust. These films shed light on the heroism and humanity displayed in the face of unimaginable cruelty, capturing the resilience and hope amidst a dark period in history.
“Schindler's List”, 1993
Director: Steven Spielberg
Directed by Steven Spielberg, this iconic film tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of over a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees by employing them in his factories during World War II.
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Embeth Davidtz, Jonathan Sagall, Malgoscha Gebel, Shmuel Levy, Mark Ivanir, Béatrice Macola, Andrzej Seweryn, Friedrich von Thun, Krzysztof Luft, Harry Nehring, Norbert Weisser, Adi Nitzan, Michael Schneider, Miri Fabian, Anna Mucha, Albert Misak, Michael Gordon, Aldona Grochal, Jacek Wójcicki, Beata Paluch, Piotr Polk, Ezra Dagan, Beata Deskur, Rami Heuberger, Leopold Kozlowski, Jerzy Nowak, Uri Avrahami, Adam Siemion, Magdalena Dandourian, Pawel Delag, Shabtai Konorti, Oliwia Dabrowska, Henryk Bista, Tadeusz Bradecki, Wojciech Klata, Elina Löwensohn, Ewa Kolasinska, Bettina Kupfer, Grzegorz Kwas, Vili Matula, Stanislaw Koczanowicz, Hans-Jörg Assmann, Geno Lechner, August Schmölzer, Ludger Pistor, Beata Rybotycka;
Production year: 1993;
Genre: drama, biography, history, war;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 195 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 9;
More information about the film “Schindler's List” on the website imdb.com
“The Pianist”, 2002
Director: Roman Polanski
Directed by Roman Polanski, this film follows the story of Władysław Szpilman, a Polish-Jewish pianist who narrowly escapes deportation and finds refuge with the help of compassionate individuals during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
Starring: Adrien Brody, Emilia Fox, Daniel Caltagirone, Ed Stoppard, Maureen Lipman, Frank Finlay, Jessica Kate Meyer, Julia Rayner, Thomas Kretschmann, Michał Żebrowski, Wanja Mues, Richard Ridings, Nomi Sharron, Anthony Milner, Lucy Skeaping, Roddy Skeaping, Ben Harlan, Thomas Lawinky, Joachim Paul Assböck, Roy Smiles, Paul Bradley, Andrzej Blumenfeld, Darian Wawer, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Lejb Fogelman, Detlev von Wangenheim, Popeck, Zofia Czerwinska, Emilio Fernandez, Udo Kroschwald, Uwe Rathsam, Joanna Brodzik, Katarzyna Bargielowska, Maja Ostaszewska, John Bennett, Cyril Shaps, Wojciech Smolarz, Lech Mackiewicz, Ruth Platt, Frank-Michael Köbe, Torsten Flach, Peter Rappenglück, Ronan Vibert, Christoph Pieczynski, Katarzyna Figura, Valentine Pelka, Andrew Tiernan, Tom Strauss, Cezary Kosinski, Grzegorz Artman;
Production year: 2002;
Genre: drama, war, biography, music;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 149 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,5;
More information about the film “The Pianist” on the website imdb.com
“The Zookeeper's Wife”, 2017
Director: Niki Caro
Directed by Niki Caro, this film portrays the true account of Antonina and Jan Żabiński, who used their zoo in Warsaw to shelter hundreds of Jewish people during the Holocaust, risking their lives to protect the persecuted.
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Johan Heldenbergh, Daniel Brühl, Timothy Radford, Efrat Dor, Iddo Goldberg, Shira Haas, Michael McElhatton, Val Maloku, Marta Issová, Daniel Ratimorský, Frederick Preston, Theo Preston, Viktoria Zakharyanova, Goran Kostic, Arnost Goldflam, Marian Mitas, Martin Hofmann, Jitka Smutná, Waldemar Kobus, Viktorie Jenicková, Adira B. Cole Abbett, Hana Pindurová, Slavko Sobin, Alena Mihulová, Natasa Burger, Hana Frejková, Magdalena Lamparska, Vilma Frantová, Magdalena Sidonová, Ester Kocicková, Petra Buckova, Roman Vejdovec, Roman Horák, Ladislav Hampl, Václav Neuzil, Brian Caspe, Jakub Smíd, Gabriel Cohen, Josef Gurunz, Jaromír Nosek, Miliana Lenak, Jan Slovák, Jaroslav Achab Haidler, Michael Dushinsky, Shumi Berkowitz, Daniel Sidon, Anna Fialová, Marek Hula, Harry Thompson;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: drama, war, biography, history;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 127 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7;
“Defiance”, 2008
Director: Edward Zwick
Directed by Edward Zwick, this film is based on the true story of the Bielski partisans, a group of Jewish brothers who led a large-scale rescue operation, providing shelter and protection to hundreds of refugees in the forests of Belarus.
Starring: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, Alexa Davalos, Allan Corduner, Mark Feuerstein, Tomas Arana, Jodhi May, Kate Fahy, Iddo Goldberg, Iben Hjejle, Martin Hancock, Ravil Isyanov, Jacek Koman, George MacKay, Jonjo O'Neill, Sam Spruell, Mia Wasikowska, Mark Margolis, Markus von Lingen, Rolandas Boravskis, Algirdas Dainavichus, Aurelija Prashuntaite, Vidas Petkevicius, Ina Frismanaite, Ana Goldberg, Rimante Valiukaite, Leonardas Pobedonoscevas, Kristina Bertasiute, Kristina Skokova, Remigijus Bilinskas, Janina Matekonyte, Aleksandr Zila, Iveta Nadzeikiene, Marc Levy, Zoe Rosenblum, Sakalas Uzdavinis, Saulius Janavicius, Leonid Kotik, Dalia Smalskiene, Tadas Kavaliauskas, Matas Cancingeris, Diana Aneviciute, Vaidas Kublinkas, Valentin Novopolskij, Dalia Micheleviciute;
Production year: 2008;
Genre: action, thriller, drama, war, history;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 137 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,1;
More information about the film “Defiance” on the website imdb.com
“In Darkness”, 2017
Director: Anthony Byrne
Directed by Agnieszka Holland, this film tells the remarkable story of Leopold Socha, a sewer worker in Nazi-occupied Lvov, who risks his life to save a group of Jewish people by hiding them in the city's sewers.
Starring: Natalie Dormer, Ed Skrein, Emily Ratajkowski, Neil Maskell, Jan Bijvoet, James Cosmo, Joely Richardson, Amber Anderson, Michael Bott, Doña Croll, Simon Harvey, Srbo Markovic, Ethan Cosmo, Morgane Polanski, Donna Berlin, Olegar Fedoro, Robert Benedetti-Hall, Billy Cook, Laura Presgurvic, Tracy Anne Green, Isabella Ayriss, Lexie Benbow-Hart, Daisie Burt, Alejandro De Mesa, Sofia Barclay, Ross Carter, Bernard Collaco, Andrius Davidenas, Daniel Eghan, Fatah Ghedi, Stefan Kopiecki, Renars Latkovskis, Cyrille Mansuy, Chelsea O'Connor, Jem Kai Olsen, Matt Sapsford, Michael Thyx, Anick Wiget;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: thriller, detective;
Age: 18+;
Duration: 100 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,8;
These films offer powerful portrayals of resilience, bravery, and the unbreakable human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity during the Holocaust.
In conclusion, films centered around rescue during the Holocaust serve as poignant reminders of humanity's capacity for bravery, compassion, and resilience in the face of unimaginable horror. These cinematic narratives not only honor the memory of those who risked their lives to save others but also challenge viewers to reflect on the moral imperatives of empathy and action in times of crisis. By bringing to light the stories of the unsung heroes and the profound sacrifices made, these films contribute to a deeper understanding of the Holocaust, ensuring that such atrocities are never forgotten and that the spirit of hope and resistance continues to inspire future generations.
