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Shoah experts welcome Anne Frank TV drama

As the 70th anniversary of the death of Anne Frank approaches, TV network ARD unveils the first major German production of her famous story, to a warm welcome from specialists in the Holocaust victim's diaries.

Shoah experts welcome Anne Frank TV drama
Mala Emde, star of 'Meine Tochter Anne Frank'. Photo: DPA

Entitled "Meine Tochter Anne Frank" [My Daughter Anne Frank], the docudrama is based on the world famous diary written by Anne, but also includes interviews with her surviving school friends and genuine historical footage.

Director Raymond Ley places the diary itself at the heart of the piece, using voice-overs of extracts from Anne's writings, but also exploring her father's attempts to publish her world-famous journal.

A Spiegel reviewer wrote that "the film not only visualizes the diary, but simultaneously reflects the context of its origins, its own history and its effect."

A spokeswoman for the Anne Frank Educational Centre in Frankfurt told The Local that "it was an intriguing decision to retell the story in the format of a docudrama and from the perspective of Anne's father Otto Frank, in what was on the whole an ambitious production.

"However, one fault is how some questions were left open or unanswered, particularly the issue of whether the family's whereabouts were given away to the authorities."

Although the production aims to take up different perspectives, especially that of her father, the only survivor of the holocaust, Anne was still clearly the central figure. 

She is played by Mala Emde, 18, who brilliantly manages to capture her unwavering optimism, ambition, and intelligence.

Retelling Anne's story is a daunting task, but "Meine Tochter Anne Frank" manages to do so masterfully, managing to be moving without being overly sentimental.

The tragic nature of Anne's story and the wider context of the Holocaust mean that any production will be emotionally charged and moving, but in this case, as Die Zeit notes, "rarely are on-screen explorations of the Holocaust so perfectly unsentimental".

For a small production with a budget of only around €1 million, the film is visually inventive, with scenes of Anne writing at her desk and footage of world events being projected onto the walls around her a particular highlight.

In fact the drama is full of tranquil scenes in the Frank family's Amsterdam attic sanctuary, which contrasts with the chaos going on around them and the brutality that awaits them.

Any attempt to revisit such a dark chapter in recent history could spark controversy, but the merit of this effort is "beyond any doubt", Spiegel said.

Glowing reviews from the German press are justified, as Ley skillfully strikes the balance between the incredibly personal story of Anne Frank through her diary, and the universal significance of her experiences through survivors' testimonies.

"Meine Tochter Anne Frank" is a brilliant visual collage, that may not have covered every aspect of the story, but nonetheless acts as a credible on-screen memorial to Anne Frank and her family and a window into the experiences of Holocaust victims.  

By Matty Edwards

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TELEVISION

Norwegian reality show introduces sexual consent rule for contestants

The latest series of Paradise Hotel in Norway has introduced an on-screen consent requirement for contestants planning on having sexual contact following allegations of abuse on the Swedish version of the show.

Norwegian reality show introduces sexual consent rule for contestants
The show has introduced on-screen consent requirements. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Contestants in the latest series of Paradise Hotel, which aired on Monday night, will require contestants to demonstrate on-screen with a thumbs up to the camera that they consent to any sexual activity.

“We were told from day one that if we were to have sex, we had to consent with a thumbs up to the camera from both parties,” Stian Trulsen, a contestant on the hit reality series, told newspaper VG

Earlier this year, it was alleged that a male contestant abused two female participants on the Swedish edition of the show. Swedish prosecuting authorities are investigating the alleged abuse. 

Christian Meinseth, program manager for production company Nent which makes the show, said the new rules weren’t directly introduced because of what happened on the Swedish programme. 

“No, but we have, of course, worked with the series and looked at our practices around the format, so we ensure that Paradise Hotel is both a good watch and fun to be a participant in,” Meinseth told VG. 

“We are very concerned about the participants’ safety, and we have not had any challenges around the new rules,” Meinseth added. 

The program manager added that the production company wanted the show to reflect a more modern approach to sex. 

“At the same time, we are also careful to monitor language use and how the participants describe each other. Everyone should show respect for each other, and there will be more focus on the game itself. Viewers can look forward to an exciting and entertaining season,” he said. 

The 15th season of the show, which has been on Norwegian tv screens since 2009, will also include a “paradise talents” week where there is a focus on inner values as part of several on-screen and off-screen measures to try and promote more healthy sexual relationships.

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