M6 is broadcasting this Wednesday evening the first episodes of “Tattooist of Auschwitz”, a historical mini-series adapted from the eponymous bestseller by Heather Morris. Is fiction worth a look?
On January 27, 1945, the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by soldiers of the Red Army. To mark the 80th anniversary of this historic event, M6 will broadcast this Wednesday, January 22, the mini-series The Tattooist of Auschwitz adapted from the eponymous bestseller by Heather Morris, which has sold more than 14 million copies in the world.
A poignant true story
Far from the usual fictions on the Holocaust, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, which is inspired by the true story of survivor Lale Sokolov, above all tells us a love story born in the horror of the concentration camps.
At 87 years old, Lale Sokolov, played by Harvey Keitel (Taxi Driver), has flashes of his time spent in the Auschwitz camp during World War II. Recently widowed, he decides to tell his story to Heather (Mélanie Lynskey), an aspiring writer, in order to keep track.
Lali, played in his young version by Jonah Hauer-King (The Little Mermaid) was in fact one of the tattoo artists responsible for writing the identification numbers on the arms of the other prisoners in the Auschwitz camp.
One day he meets Gita (Anna Próchniak) while tattooing his number on her. He immediately falls under her spell. Despite the horrors they face every day, they gradually fall in love with each other.
By telling Heather about her past, Lali finally confronts the traumatic ghosts of her youth and relives her memories of love in the darkest moments of history.
A necessary series
With its clever play of flashbacks, The Tattooist of Auschwitz captures the horror and darkness of the concentration camps while bringing a note of hope. From the start, the viewer knows that the narrator got through it, but how many of the people he may have encountered, helped or encountered can say the same?
Each time a prisoner meets a tragic fate, the series pauses to show their face to the sound of a bell. A great way to pay tribute to the millions of people who lost their lives passing through the gates of Auschwitz, but also to appeal to viewers who have no other choice but to support their wounded gaze.
-Directed by Tali Shalom-Ezer, The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a necessary series which bluntly shows the cruelty of the camps and follows a character who is far from perfect. Because yes, Lale made the choice to make a pact with his executioners in the hope of not dying like his comrades.
He said it himself: he was 26 years old, and he wanted to live. He was offered an opportunity, he took it. But now he has to live with the guilt of what he did. Lale is also not a reliable narrator.
On several occasions, he changes history to his advantage, because he is not ready to face the demons he has buried for all these years. A clever way of showing that the same story can have several versions depending on the person telling it, but also of responding to detractors who have often questioned the historical veracity of Heather Morris' novel.
A love story in the heart of darkness
If The Tattooist of Auschwitz is far from being a joyful series, the love story between Lale and Gita brings this touch of light which makes us want to continue watching, and allows us to endure the worst.
We quickly become fond of this couple who try to find joy in this environment filled with pain and suffering. Anna Próchniak and Jonah Hauer-King, the actors who play this couple, have an undeniable chemistry that hypnotizes us and makes us want to know what the fate of their tragic love story will be.
In short, despite the harshness of its subject matter, The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a historical mini-series not to be missed.
Catch the first two episodes of The Tattooist of Auschwitz this Wednesday, January 22 from 9:10 p.m. on M6. The evening continues at 11:15 p.m. with the broadcast of the documentary “The true story of the tattoo artist from Auschwitz”.
