Il fotografo di Mauthausen

Based on real events about Francesc Boix (1920-1951) , a notorious Spanish man , he was a veteran of the Spanish Civil War and photographer who was imprisoned in the Mauthausen concentration camp. At the Nuremberg and Dachau trials he presented photographs that played a role in the conviction of Nazi war criminals.

This is an exciting and moving biography about the camp concentration inmate Frances Boix , containg emotion , chills , thrills and astonishing images . Concerning the brutal existence of the inmates who lived in the camp of Mauthausen, where between others there are the soldiers who fought and lost in the Spanish Civil War, exiled from Spain by General Franco after winning the war . Mario Casas gives an acceptable acting as the Republican communist in the Nazi concentration camp of Mauthausen in Austria who attempts to save the evidences of the cruel horrors committed inside its walls. He is well accompanied by a good support cast , such as : Alain Hernández , Richard van Weyden , Stefan Weinert , Nikola Stojanovic, Salazar , Franc Reyes , and Macarena Gómez . Futhermore , adequate and atmospheric Cinematography by Aitor Mantxola . And sensitive , appropriate musical score by Diego Navarro. The film was professionally made by Mar Targarona , though it has some flaws and gaps . She is a notorious producer , including titles as Orfanato, El habitante incierto, X3PD, Vivancos, Quien mato a Bambi , Las manos del pianista and El cuerpo directed by Oriol Paulo. Mar has directed a few films such as : ¨Secuestro¨ and this ¨Boix photographer of Mauthausen¨ and series as ¨Muere mi vida¨ and ¨Abuela de verano¨ . Rating 6.5/10 . Well worth watching

Based on actual events about Frances Boix : A Spanish republican who was exiled in France in 1939. He was recruited by the French Foreign Legion and French Army and captured in 1940 by the Germans. Boix, like over 7,000 Spaniards, was an inmate in the Mauthausen concentration camp between January 1941 and May 1945. From the end of August 1941 he worked in the Erkennungsdienst, the photography department of the camp administration, taking ID photos of inmates and documenting events in the camp. He was able to hide and preserve until liberation about 20,000 negatives taken by the SS head of the department, Paul Ricken , as well as by himself. On January 28 and 29, 1946 at the Nuremberg trial (International Military Tribunal), Boix was called by the French prosecution to show photographs taken by the SS in Mauthausen. Those photos depicted the conditions in which the prisoners lived and were murdered in that camp. They were also proof that the camp was known and visited by high leaders of the Third Reich, such as Ernst Kaltenbrunner, who appeared visiting both the Mauthausen camp proper, and the Wienergraben quarry adjacent to the camp. In April 1946 Boix was again a witness, this time in the American military trial that took place in Dachau against 61 accused from the Mauthausen camp. Between 1945 and 1951 Boix worked as a photo reporter in the French press,particularly for a newspaper associated with the French Communist Party. He died in Paris on 7 July 1951 from kidney failure at age 31.

While it can sometimes get very chessy and the low budget is aparent, this is still a interesting story with a very unique point of view and capable actors. Give it a watch if it sounds good to you! You won't be dissapointed.

I thought this film was great, intense and kept me guessing and hoping the hidden films would see the pight of day. Was also surprised it was based on true events. i reccommend if you are into intense story telling rather than silly themes and plots!

If you are interested in Holocaust during the World War II this is another one not to miss. A true story perfectly documented with many proofs. The scenarios are original and I really felt to be in this nightmare created by the Nazis. The actors delivered great performances. Bravo. It gets 10/10.

In 1989, I was 22 and visited Mauthausen. I met a Polish man there who had been a prisoner during the war. He was 75 and had not been back since. The travel guide was informing the group I was with, that there were three prisoners to a bunk. The polish man had to correct him, via his companion who translated, that there were actually 6 to a bed. There's no doubt that the Spaniards received far better treatment than the Jews did. It's evident in the film and some research reveals what horrors the Jews endured. We get a sense of the horror there but we never get a real close look at it. Perhaps that's for the best. There are other Holocaust films far more brutal than this one. I wouldn't even call this a Holocaust film.

Having said that, this is telling the story of the photographer and a true story at that, which is what makes it so compelling. People unable to relate to the characters or challenging the special effects, need to check their humanity. Some even criticise the treatment of the SS in the film. They were much worse in reality. Again, do some reading. Do people read anymore?

The second half of the film is more tense as the risks increase. They were brave in what they tried to achieve.

The stairs of death don't feature a lot but still, seeing them again gave me chills. The Kapos were brutal in all the camps. That depiction was accurate.

There are further stories of Mauthausen to be told but perhaps the reality was bad enough. The stories are out there if people dig around a little.

A solid film and a fascinating side note to a much broader, more horrific aspect of genocide.