Cinema St. Louis (CSL)

The Lesson with Colette and Zaida

Expired November 23, 2020 5:59 AM
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German schools mandate that students learn about National Socialism and its devastating impact on the country and the world, and this hour-long vérité doc follows four students over five years as they engage with lessons about the Nazi era and the Holocaust. Although it’s heartening that Germany requires that its youth become familiar with — and, it’s hoped, inoculated against — fascism and anti-Semitism, the film makes dismayingly clear that the lessons don’t necessarily take: Some of the teens exhibit a nonchalance and skepticism that can be frightening. The students’ lessons are also set against a national backdrop in which neo-Nazis are increasingly vocal — despite specific prohibitions in the law — and far-right parties are on the rise, indicating that the admonition “Never forget” is not being heeded.

  • Year
    2019
  • Runtime
    60 minutes
  • Language
    English & German
  • Country
    Germany
  • Director
    Elena Horn