Preface
First of all: this is not an attempt to explain the film. That would be impossible anyway, as some layers remain hidden. The film is, however, shown almost exclusively at special screenings followed by a talk or discussion. Before deciding whether to attend one, it may help to clear up one or two things here.
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on the film
1. Is the film about the Shoah?
Not quite. At least not historically. On its main level, the film deals with the Shoah in order to draw our attention to the society and culture in which we live, and to ourselves as members of the groups to which we belong. It has no intention whatsoever of lecturing us. It assumes that we are already familiar with this history, or perhaps it sparks our curiosity to learn more about it. What stays with us as viewers in the end, I believe, is not so much reflection on past events. Rather, we come to feel that an emotional burden is still present, whether it stems from within us or is passed on to us from outside. With it comes the question of our own feelings and our own attitude towards the Shoah, and not only towards the Shoah.