The biographical drama 'The Photographer of Mauthausen,' which holds an 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes, is now streaming on Netflix. The film recounts the true story of photographer Francesc Boix, who risked his life to document Nazi atrocities during World War Two.
Plot and Setting
Set in 1943 within Austria's Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, the 2018 historical drama thriller follows Spanish prisoner Francesc Boix. Upon hearing of Germany's defeat at Stalingrad, Boix realises that the Nazi paramilitary organisation Schutzstaffel (SS) will attempt to erase all proof of their crimes against humanity.
Assigned duties in the camp's photography laboratory, Boix persuades his fellow prisoners that they must turn the camera into a weapon. He launches an extraordinarily dangerous mission to copy and smuggle out photographic negatives documenting the genuine horrors, including mass killings, torture, and inspections by senior Nazi figures such as Heinrich Himmler.
Rising Threat and Cast
As Allied troops advance by 1945, the threat intensifies for Boix when the brutal camp commandant, Franz Ziereis, orders the obliteration of all photographic proof and the killing of prisoners who possess damning knowledge.
Helmed by Mar Targarona, the film features Mario Casas as Francesc Boix, alongside Richard van Weyden, Stefan Weinert, Alain Hernández, and Adrià Salazar.
Critical Reception
The film has been praised for its naturalistic performances, rigorous historical accuracy, and devastating portrayal of the Holocaust, with critics on Rotten Tomatoes in agreement.
One Common Sense Media reviewer described it as a "harrowing concentration camp tale" that "lauds bravery and resolve," while another noted it's "very historically accurate to the events that took place, and there are also very precise details that are true."
They added: "The actors who played in this movie had an outstanding performance, especially Richard van Weyden as Ricken and Stefan Weinert as Franz Ziereis. In conclusion, great movie if you like historically true dramas; I would recommend."
Another commenter wrote: "Another film told from first-hand witnesses to the atrocities of World War II under fascist control. It's important to watch films like this so we never forget what happened (and work hard to never allow it to happen again)." They simply added: "I found this film to be very moving."
'The Photographer of Mauthausen' is available to stream on Netflix.
