It is often said that those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.
At the age of 14 children in Germany are taught about the atrocities under Nazi rule. Director Elena Horn follows four children as they learn about the Holocaust. From their study of the topic in history class, to their school trip to Sachsenhausen concentration camp, each of the children grapple with the gravity of their findings differently.
Filmed over five years, the film offers a window into deeply rooted social and political attitudes in Germany amid a resurgence of the far-right and violent xenophobia. The collective memory of a nation’s history highlights the essential role of education to avoid repeating historical wrongs.
Register for free and join us for a live ScreenTalk via zoom at 8.30pm on Wed 24 Mar with director Elena Horn, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, UN Human Rights Chief 2014–18, and Wenzel Michalski, Germany Director, HRW.
Germany 2020 Dir Elena Horn 60min
UK Digital Premiere
Filmmaker Introduction
Filmmaker Introduction: The Lesson
Director Elena Horn introduces her film The Lesson for Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2021.
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