Son of Saul (2015)
18KSon of Saul: Directed by László Nemes. With Géza Röhrig, Levente Molnár, Urs Rechn, Todd Charmont. A Jewish-Hungarian concentration camp prisoner sets out to give a child he mistook for his son a proper burial.
“Easily tagged as a Holocaust film (but shouldnu0026#39;t necessarily be), u0026#39;Son of Saulu0026#39; explores the perspective of a Sonderkommando named Saul — a German Nazi death camp prisoner whou0026#39;s job was to aid with the disposal of gas chamber victims — who finds a dying boy from the chambers and attempts to give him a proper burial who he claims to be his son, all during his time at Auschwitz. The film is uniquely shot from an over-the-shoulder perspective that keeps the viewer entirely focused on Saul, but still with the motions and actions surrounding him very noticeable (thanks to absolutely brilliant sound work in order to help achieve the eerie feel). u0026#39;Saulu0026#39; reaches certain pinnacles of significant discomfort during scenes of execution — in the gas chambers and the burial pits — and a stone-faced Saul can do nothing but be forced to listen or watch. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAt points, the viewer feels claustrophobic when being ushered from the trucks in the middle of the night to oneu0026#39;s fate. While the main story of Saulu0026#39;s attempt to give his u0026quot;sonu0026quot; a proper Jewish burial is what drives him — already accepting his own fate — the film goes beyond the typical WWII Holocaust story where you might only hear of incidents. In this film, the viewer is thrust upon into the fray of Hell, constantly following Saul through several one-shot takes that leave you wondering what is waiting for him. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eA word to the wise: this film prides itself on authenticity, realism, and truth; u0026#39;Son of Saulu0026#39; is painfully poetic.”
