Movies About The Holocaust List

From Steven Spielberg, starring Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Caroline Goodall
Rated R

Schindler's List (1993) is a film directed by Steven Spielberg. It tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist who saved the lives of more than 1,000 Polish Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories. During World War II, Schindler gradually discloses his plan to save innocent lives by using his business to protect the Jews in his care. The film follows Schindler's transformation from a profiteer to a humanitarian, as he struggles against Nazi bureaucracy and ultimately outwits them, ultimately saving the lives of thousands of Jews. It is a powerful, emotional story of courage and redemption that has since become one of the most beloved films of all time.

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

Life Is Beautiful is a 1997 Italian comedy-drama film directed by and starring Roberto Benigni. The film follows the story of Guido (Benigni), a Jewish Italian book shop owner, who is separated from his wife and child when they are sent to a concentration camp during the Second World War. In order to protect his son, Guido convinces him that their time in the camp is an elaborate game and the winner will receive a tank as a prize. Guido risks his life in order to protect his son, surviving the horrors of the camp and proving the power of love, family, and imagination. The film was a massive success, winning three Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film, Best Actor for Benigni, and Best Original Dramatic Score.

From Roman Polanski, starring Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Emilia Fox
Rated R

The Pianist is a 2002 biographical drama film directed by Roman Polanski and starring Adrien Brody. It tells the story of Władysław Szpilman, a Jewish pianist, who, during World War II, managed to survive the Holocaust in Warsaw by playing Chopin on the piano in various hiding places. The movie follows the remarkable journey of Szpilman, as he struggles in survival and overcomes the horrors of the war. The film won three Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor. The Pianist also won numerous other awards including the Palme d'Or at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.

From Stanley Kramer, starring Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich
Rated Approved

Judgment at Nuremberg is a 1961 American courtroom drama film directed by Stanley Kramer. It tells the story of the trial of four German judges in 1948 as they stand accused of crimes against humanity for their participation in Nazi atrocities during World War II. The film stars Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich, Maximilian Schell, Judy Garland, Montgomery Clift, and Werner Klemperer. The plot follows the proceedings of the trial, with flashbacks to the events leading up to the crimes, as well as the testimony of witnesses from both sides. Several themes are explored in the film, including the effects of Nazism on individuals and the role of obedience in the perpetration of evil acts. The film culminates in a powerful courtroom scene between the judges and the defense attorneys. The film was critically acclaimed and was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, ultimately winning two—Best Actor for Maximilian Schell and Best Supporting Actress for Judy Garland. The film was also nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama.

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

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas tells the story of Bruno, an eight-year-old German boy whose family moves to a new house near Auschwitz. Despite his father's position as a Nazi commandant, Bruno is fascinated with the people he sees on the other side of the fence of the concentration camp and quickly strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young Jewish boy named Shmuel. As their friendship grows, Bruno begins to learn the truth about the horrors of the Holocaust and the fate that awaits Shmuel and the other prisoners. In the end, the two boys’ friendship is tragically and poignantly cut short by the events of the Holocaust.

From Sidney Lumet, starring Rod Steiger, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Brock Peters, Jaime Sánchez
Rated Approved

The Pawnbroker is a 1964 American drama film directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Rod Steiger, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Brock Peters, Jaime Sánchez and Morgan Freeman in his feature film debut. The film tells the story of a Jewish Holocaust survivor who is trying to rebuild his life in New York City and the struggles he faces while still haunted by memories of his past. After spending four years in a concentration camp, Sol Nazerman (Steiger) opens a pawnshop in the Bronx and maintains a façade of emotional detachment. When he meets a young Puerto Rican who is trying to make a better life for himself and his family, Sol begins to feel empathy and slowly heals the wounds of his past. As the film progresses, Sol's past is revealed and his present is confronted, forcing him to confront his demons and make peace with his past.

From Radu Mihaileanu, starring Lionel Abelanski, Rufus, Clément Harari, Michel Muller
Rated R

Train of Life is a 1998 film directed by Radu Mihaileanu. The film centers around a Jewish village in Romania in 1941 and the villagers’ plan to escape the Nazis. Refusing to be deported to the concentration camps, the villagers create their own deportation train and dress as Nazis, hoping to pass through the German border. The villagers, led by the local rabbi, must come up with clever strategies in order to survive the journey, which is full of unexpected twists and turns. Along the way, the villagers learn to rely on each other and find strength in their unique community. Ultimately, Train of Life is a story of courage and hope in the face of overwhelming odds.

From Agnieszka Holland, starring Solomon Perel, Marco Hofschneider, René Hofschneider, André Wilms
Rated R

Europa Europa is a 1990 German-French-Polish drama film directed by Agnieszka Holland. The film tells the true story of Solomon Perel, a Jewish teenager who survives World War II by pretending to be an Aryan. After being separated from his family, Solomon is taken in by a Nazi family and eventually joins the Hitler Youth. Through a series of twists and turns, he manages to survive the war while avoiding detection. The film explores themes of identity and disguise, demonstrating how Solomon is forced to confront a number of difficult moral dilemmas in order to survive. Ultimately, the film serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

From Jan Hrebejk, starring Bolek Polívka, Csongor Kassai, Jaroslav Dusek, Anna Sisková
Rated PG-13

Divided We Fall is a Czech drama set in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia during World War II. Josef and Marie are a happy-go-lucky couple living in a small Czech village. When their Jewish neighbor, Mrs. Morgenstern, is discovered by the Nazis, they risk their lives to hide her in their home. But as the danger mounts, Josef must make a difficult decision - whether to keep Mrs. Morgenstern hidden or put his own family first. The film follows the couple's struggles as they face the moral dilemmas of the war-torn time. As the situation becomes increasingly desperate, the couple must rely on the kindness of strangers and their own courage to survive. In the end, their courage and determination to help their friend pays off, and their selfless actions bring not only hope but also a renewed faith in humanity.

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. Set in 1947, the film stars Meryl Streep as Sophie, a Polish Catholic immigrant living in Brooklyn, and Kevin Kline as Nathan, a Jewish American man she meets at a boarding house. The film tells the story of Sophie's struggle to survive the horrors of World War II by making a fateful decision between her two children. After being sent to Auschwitz concentration camp, Sophie is forced to choose which of her two children will be gassed and which will be allowed to go with her to the labor camp. The film follows the aftermath of this agonizing decision and its effect on Sophie and her relationship with Nathan. It also deals with themes of guilt, love, and forgiveness, as Sophie must also confront the fact that her husband is a Nazi officer. The film received numerous awards, including Academy Awards for Best Actress (Streep) and Adapted Screenplay.

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

The Counterfeiters is a 2007 Austrian-German drama film directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky which tells the true story of Operation Bernhard, a secret Nazi plan to destabilize the British economy by flooding it with forged Bank of England pound notes. The film focuses on a Jewish counterfeiter, Salomon Sorowitsch, who is forced to head the operation and having to choose between risking his life and possibly the lives of others by refusing to cooperate, or using his technical skill to help the Nazis achieve their goals. The film follows Sorowitsch as he is sent to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp and is eventually trusted with heading the operation, and the ethical dilemmas he must face in order to survive.

From István Szabó, starring Ralph Fiennes, Rosemary Harris, Rachel Weisz, Jennifer Ehle
Rated R

Sunshine is an Academy Award-nominated Hungarian-Canadian drama film directed by István Szabó and starring Ralph Fiennes and Rosemary Harris. The story follows three generations of a Hungarian Jewish family spanning fifty years in the 20th century, with each generation facing similar struggles in different eras. The film focuses on the family's matriarch, Valerie Sonnenschein (Harris), and her two sons, Ivan (Fiennes) and Adam (Miklós Székely B.), who must confront the dark secrets of their family's past. As the characters grapple with personal and political turmoil, the story explores the complexity of human identity and the power of forgiveness.

From George Stevens, starring Millie Perkins, Shelley Winters, Joseph Schildkraut, Richard Beymer
Rated Approved

From Costa-Gavras, starring Ulrich Tukur, Mathieu Kassovitz, Ulrich Mühe, Michel Duchaussoy
Rated Not Rated

From Edward Zwick, starring Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, Alexa Davalos
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 Volker Schlöndorff, starring Ulrich Matthes, August Diehl, Hilmar Thate, Bibiana Beglau
Rated Not Rated

From Margarethe von Trotta, starring Katja Riemann, Maria Schrader, Svea Lohde, Jutta Lampe
Rated PG-13

From John Daly, starring Martin Landau, Kenny Doughty, Caroline Carver, Judy Parfitt
Rated PG-13