The Commandant's Shadow — Official Trailer

added: Mon, May 6th '24

Check out the official trailer for "The Commandant's Shadow," a new unflinching documentary unraveling the harrowing legacy of one of the most infamous Nazi commandants.

Written, produced, and directed by acclaimed documentarian Daniela Volker, this film delves into the haunting aftermath of Rudolf Hoss, the German SS commandant responsible for the atrocities of Auschwitz. For the first time, Hans Jurgen Hoss, Rudolf's 87-year-old son, confronts his father's monstrous past, juxtaposing it with memories of his idyllic childhood in the shadow of Auschwitz's horrors.

While the Academy Award-winning drama "The Zone of Interest" offered a fictionalized account of the Hoss family's life at Auschwitz, probing the banality of evil, this documentary unveils the stark reality through firsthand accounts. Through the lens of the Hoss family and their testimonies, the film confronts the unimaginable atrocities Rudolf Hoss orchestrated and committed under his command. The film presents the unvarnished truth, exploring the depths of evil and the burden of history.

"The Commandant's Shadow" hits select U.S. theaters on May 29th and 30th, courtesy of Fathom Events. Watch the trailer above.

synopsis:
From Warner Bros. Pictures and HBO Documentary Films comes filmmaker Daniela Volker's timely and poignant documentary "The Commandant's Shadow," which follows Hans Jurgen Hoss, the 87-year-old son of Rudolf Hoss, as he faces his father's terrible legacy for the first time. His father was the Camp Commandant of Auschwitz and masterminded the murder of over a million Jews; the life of Hoss and his family was recently fictionalized in the Academy Award-winning "The Zone of Interest." Now, "The Commandant's Shadow" tells the story of the real people who lived on site at Hoss's death camp. While Hans Jurgen Hoss enjoyed a happy childhood in the family villa at Auschwitz, Jewish prisoner Anita Lasker-Wallfisch was trying to survive the notorious concentration camp. At the heart of this film is the historic and inspiring moment -- eight decades later -- when the two come face-to-face. This is the first time the descendant of a major war criminal meets a survivor in such a private and intimate setting, Anita's London living room. Together with their children, Kai Hoss and Maya Lasker-Wallfisch, the four protagonists explore their very different hereditary burdens. The film features original excerpts of Rudolf Hoss' long-forgotten autobiography, written shortly before his execution. His words are the ultimate proof of what really happened at Auschwitz, documented by the perpetrator himself, countering denial and ignorance of the Holocaust. This once-in-a-lifetime feature-length documentary explores the relationships of a mother and her daughter, a father and his son, and the long shadows cast by the crimes that impact generations. It raises questions about love, guilt, and forgiveness, but is ultimately a much needed story of hope, acceptance, and compassion. In the wake of the atrocities of October 7th -- and at a time when antisemitism has reached a level not seen since the Holocaust -- "The Commandant's Shadow" is a stark reminder that there can be no reconciliation without a true and honest reckoning of the past. Only then can we hope to avoid repeating history and build a better future.

directed by Daniela Volker

release date May 29, 30, 2024 (in select theaters, via Fathom Events)