There are hundreds of films that focus on WWII and the
Holocaust, and many of these are documentaries or docudramas focusing on the horrors suffered by the Jews as Hitler's army attempted their genocide. Interviews with survivors of concentration camps are plentiful, and provide a painful, difficult look at the horrors that occurred during that dark period of time.
But there is a group of people who have been largely ignored, either through their own unwillingness to talk about the past or just because their side of the story is too much for a filmmaker to focus on. The children, grandchildren, and other descendants of Hitler's officers have dealt with the demons born from their fathers and grandfathers for decades now. Dealing with the shame, guilt, and anger of sharing a name with men like Himmler, Goeth, Goering, Hoess, and Frank has made their lives difficult as well, and coming to terms with the constant reminders of what their fathers and grandfathers did has been a constant struggle.
In the new film Hitler's Children, these men and women speak out for the first time about their lives and on coming to terms with their past. The film was finished in 2011 and has screened for numerous film festivals. It's been featured at:
· Moscow International Film Festival
· IDFA
· Thessaloniki International Film Festival
· Warsaw International Film Festival
· DOK. FEST
· Prix Europa 2012 Competition, where it reached the finals.
The film has already received wide acclaim from several UK publications including the Guardian, The Times, and The Independent. It's expected to begin screening in the United States in early 2013.
However, DVD sales have already been made available online as well as the chance to donate any sum desired. Donations of 40 dollars or more receive the DVD as well as updates on screenings and more, plus a part of the funds will be applied towards Holocaust education and stamping out Holocaust denial.
Every story has two sides. And while there is no question that Holocaust survivors suffered immense pain and tremendous terror at the hands of Hitler and his army, those children on the other side of the Holocaust have suffered as well. Hitler's Children takes a close look at how they have coped with the sins of their family and what their hopes for the future are. It's an emotional film that should be viewed by everyone. It's another side of the long, dark shadow the Nazi party continues to cast over those who were there.