#AnneFrank - Parallel Stories
By Andrea Beach,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Moving Holocaust docu helps viewers connect to the past.
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#AnneFrank - Parallel Stories
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What's the Story?
#ANNEFRANK - PARALLEL STORIES features acclaimed actress Helen Mirren in a replica of the room in which Anne Frank hid from the Nazis for two years. From there she reads excerpts from Anne Frank's famous diary, and narrates a young woman's journey through Europe to places important in Anne's story. The young woman, known only as @KaterinaKat, also meets with several women who were born in the same year as Anne Frank but who survived the concentration camps. Through hearing their stories and talking with the survivors' children and grandchildren, and seeing where events took place, she learns details of what Frank likely experienced once her family was discovered and sent to concentration camps.
Is It Any Good?
This moving and compelling documentary gives teens a gentle but unblinking way to learn about the Holocaust and make personal, emotional connections to the past. In #AnneFrank - Parallel Stories, Helen Mirren does a wonderful job bringing Anne's voice and character to life when she reads excerpts from the famous diary. The well-written narration and Mirren's skill convey facts and events without bogging down or losing any emotional connection to the story.
Teens especially are invited to make personal connections with history through the young traveler known as @KaterinaKat. She never speaks, but her fictional, thoughtful social media posts provide a relatable way for teens to accompany her on her journey. She provides the framework for meeting with survivors, going to actual locations, and reading Anne Frank's diary that help us process the powerful emotions we all feel when we tackle this difficult subject.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the horrors of the Holocaust depicted in #AnneFrank - Parallel Stories. How much did you know about the Holocaust before you saw this? Did you learn anything? How could you learn more?
Why is it important to explore and understand the past, especially horrific and violent events? What do we gain from feeling personally connected to the people and events of the past?
Did you read Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl before you saw this movie? How do the two compare? If you didn't read it, would you like to now?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 22, 2020
- On DVD or streaming: July 1, 2020
- Cast: Helen Mirren
- Directors: Sabina Fedeli , Anna Migotto
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Great Girl Role Models , History
- Character Strengths: Compassion , Empathy
- Run time: 92 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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