We are pleased to announce the next Movie Matinee at Beit Knesset Hanassi. On Tuesday, October 20, we will present the highly acclaimed film, DENIAL.
In her book, Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory, Deborah Lipstadt, the greatly respected American Holocaust scholar, identified David Irving, the British writer, as the Holocaust denier that he is. Irving then had the chutzpah to sue Lipstadt for libel.
Irving filed his lawsuit against Lipstadt and her publisher in the United Kingdom. In the UK, the burden of proof in libel cases rests with the defendant. In other words, at trial, Lipstadt would have to prove that what she wrote was true. Her lawyers would need to show that what Irving wrote about the Holocaust was false and that he knew it was such.
The film is superb and historically accurate in portraying the trial and the relative events outside of the courtroom. The trial itself is highly dramatic, indeed even nail-biting. Irving represents himself and does an adequate job. He twists the presented evidence for his own purposes, making outrageous claims. But the judge—there is no jury—is open-minded, giving Irving enormous latitude and even the benefit of the doubt.
Could Irving win? Could the Holocaust “lose at trial”? Would there forever be doubts about whether the Holocaust even happened?
As the trial nears its conclusion, the judge sends chills down Lipstadt’s spine. He states that, if Irving honestly believes his own claims, he cannot be lying as Lipstadt must show. Did Irving truly believe there was no Holocaust?
The film is one of the finest courtroom dramas of all time with magnificent performances by all of the actors. It was nominated as the Outstanding British Film of the 2017.
The movie is in English and has English subtitles.
The Movie Matinee is at 2:00. The film is 1¾ hours in length.
There will be a brief introduction of the film and a short talk and discussion after the screening. There will be a hand-out about the movie for each attendee.
There will be refreshments. No reservations are required.
Beit Knesset Hanassi is located at 24 Ussishkin Street. The admission is 20 shekels for members of the shul and 30 shekels for non-members.
If you can please bring the exact change, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
For more information, please contact Mark at 0548 01 1957 or [email protected].
