Opening with a succinct overview, featuring a beautifully haunting theme by Benjamin Wallfisch, it's instantly clear that the following two and a half hours will be carefully and skilfully put together. Stepping gently through time, we go on a journey to the most disturbing and disgusting place in history, and come out the other end with a better understanding of what these victims went through.
Gleckman's direction is terrific. The film is broken up into parts, and these parts can act as a well-needed breather for the audience, if required. It's a heavy watch, as you'd expect - but a vital one.
What this film manages to accomplish in its lengthy (but warranted) runtime is incredible. You thought you knew all you could about the Holocaust, but you didn't. You could never. We Shall Not Die Now is completely fresh, and even with its use of older footage from Shoah, it offers up something new with clear control. Personally, I think this should be shown in schools. If films like Schindler's List and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas are being presented to students, why not We Shall Not Die Now? Equally as important and heavy in weight.
We Shall Not Die Now, like Gleckman, has a bright future ahead. It's already winning awards and garnering attention, and will certainly continue to do so in the coming months. Remembering the team of producers, musicians, and everyone else involved in the making of this film, of course - for without, this would not have been possible. And lastly, we must never forget the victims of these horrific events.
