And Along Come Tourists

This is a movie that deals very tastefully with tough subject matter. The movie follows Sven, a young German man who has come to Auschwitz to complete his mandatory year of civil service. During his time at the camp he is made responsible for a holocaust survivor that chooses to live on the camp site and befriends a young Polish camp tour guide.

Mr. Krzeminski lives at the camp after all of these years to ensure that the story of all of those who weren't as lucky as him survives. He refuses to go to live in the comfort of his sisters lovely country home to finish what he believes to be his life's work. He works to restore the personal items of the camp inmates for the camp museum.

The film also details the frustration of the people of the town of Auschwitz with the history imposed on them. The young camp tour guide applies for a job in a more urban area, looking to get away from her small hometown. She explains to Sven the horror on the faces of the interview panel as they ask and she tells them where she is from. One character seems to sum up the feeling well when he tells Sven that he wishes that they didn't have to deal with the constant reminder of the camp, that he wishes the Germans had taken their camp with them when they went.

I would recommend this movie. For being set in the camps at Auschwitz there are hardly any shots of the camp or the museum. In the Q & A the director explained that getting permission to shoot anything but the outer edges of the camp (usually the shot of the entrance to the camp or the watch towers) is impossible. Instead the movie focuses on the people living in and around the camp and those who work there. Shots of the camp may have taken away from the story of the characters in the movie. The three actors in the movie make the characters real by giving understated, authentic performances.

It is just too bad that all of those who see the movie in the future will not also have the experience of the Q & A with the director as well. He spoke with humour and shared interesting insights into the writing and making of the film.