Film Review #2

Laura Hall

Human Rights

Dr. Blair

March 19, 2011

Genocide

I thought the film Genocide did a good job of explaining the Holocaust and what happened during World War Two. It was easy to follow since I have a large background knowledge of the event. I think that it had a nice balance of background information and detail to go with the first hand stories. I feel that this film probably would have moved to quickly with the facts had I been a viewer with no background of the war and the genocide that took place.

I also found this film to be very moving. We have learned about the war and the Holocaust in school for years. We have been made perfectly aware of the horrors that took place. Yet still every time I hear a someone telling their story of the Holocaust, it is like I am hearing about it for the first time. I always end being hit with a fit of emotion. However I suppose everyone is telling me a different story. The power of listening to someone telling the story first hand is amazing. Listing off facts you are able to take out the emotion of it. Detach yourself from what it really means. However when someone is saying it as truth, something they witnessed it is totally different. I think it is important that we document as many stories as we can, so that future generations are able to hear them.

I think that this is an important human rights violation to talk about because it happened in a first world country. We often assume that human rights violation is not something that happens to “us” but, to “them”. I think the event showed the world that it does not matter who you are, where you are, it can happen.