Movies About Concentration Camps

From Roberto Benigni, starring Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini, Giustino Durano
Rated PG-13

Life Is Beautiful is an Italian tragicomedy film released in 1997, written, directed, and starring Roberto Benigni. It tells the story of Guido Orefice, a Jewish Italian bookshop owner, who uses his imagination and humor to protect his young son from the horrors of their internment in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. Guido, his wife, and his son are sent to a concentration camp and while there, Guido invents an elaborate game in which he must conceal the true nature of their circumstances from his son by convincing him that it is all a game and that if he wins, he will receive a tank as a prize. Through his courage and strength of will, Guido helps his son to find the courage to survive their ordeal. Ultimately, Guido and his son emerge from the camp with their lives. The film conveys a powerful message of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity, and it has won numerous awards and accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

From Mark Herman, starring Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend, Zac Mattoon O'Brien
Rated PG-13

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a 2008 British-American war drama film directed by Mark Herman. Based on the 2006 novel of the same name by John Boyne, the film tells the story of an eight-year-old boy, Bruno, who moves to a new home in 1939 Nazi Germany with his family. Unaware of the Nazi ideology, Bruno befriends a Jewish boy, Shmuel, who is imprisoned in a concentration camp nearby. Through their friendship, Bruno learns the truth about the horrors of the camp and the atrocities taking place there. The film follows Bruno's journey of understanding and his attempts to free Shmuel. In the end, the film culminates with a tragic but moving conclusion.

From Stefan Ruzowitzky, starring Karl Markovics, August Diehl, Devid Striesow, Martin Brambach
Rated R

The Counterfeiters (2007) is a historical drama directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky, set in Nazi Germany during World War II. The film follows the story of Salomon "Sally" Sorowitsch, a Jewish counterfeiter and former safecracker who is arrested by the Gestapo and sent to a concentration camp. In the camp, Sally is selected by the Nazis to participate in a secret mission known as "Operation Bernhard", an ambitious plan to destabilize the British economy by flooding it with forged British currency. Along with other Jewish prisoners, Sally is forced to use his counterfeiting expertise to produce counterfeit money for the Nazis. Faced with a moral dilemma, Sally must decide whether to cooperate with the Nazis or risk death. The film ultimately follows Sally’s journey and his struggle to maintain his own integrity while trying to survive in an inhumane environment.

From Alan J. Pakula, starring Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol, Rita Karin
Rated R

Sophie's Choice is a 1982 American drama film directed by Alan J. Pakula. The film stars Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, and Peter MacNicol. It tells the story of Sophie (Streep), a Polish immigrant living in Brooklyn who is confronted with an unimaginable moral dilemma when a Nazi guard at Auschwitz concentration camp forces her to choose which of her two children will be gassed and which will be spared. The film is based on the novel of the same name by William Styron and follows Sophie's life in postwar Brooklyn, her struggles with her mental health, and her relationship with a young writer, Nathan. Along with her moral dilemma, Sophie must confront her past in order to find peace and understanding. The film earned Streep an Academy Award for Best Actress, and was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Art Direction.

From László Nemes, starring Géza Röhrig, Levente Molnár, Urs Rechn, Todd Charmont
Rated R

From Lajos Koltai, starring Marcell Nagy, Béla Dóra, Bálint Péntek, Áron Dimény
Rated R

From Tim Blake Nelson, starring David Arquette, Velizar Binev, David Chandler, Michael Stuhlbarg
Rated R

From Paul Schrader, starring Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, Cristian Motiu, Derek Jacobi
Rated R

From Boaz Yakin, starring Josh Lucas, Jacqueline Bisset, Lukas Haas, Morena Baccarin
Rated R