International Film Club: The Last Mentsch
Tue, Aug 31, 2021 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Central Daylight Time (UTC-5)
Register here.
The August film club will be a discussion of the 2016 german film The Last Mentsch.
About this event
About the Film
Having spent a lifetime concealing his heritage, an aging German Holocaust survivor tries to come to terms with his past. Born Menachem Teitelbaum, Marcus Schwarz (German Academy Award winner Mario Adorf) escaped Auschwitz with his life only to exterminate his Jewishness. Without family, a synagogue or a single Jewish friend, the hardened old man has so effectively created a new identity that, when faced with his own mortality, the rabbis refuse his appeal to be buried in a Jewish cemetery in Cologne. Determined to return to his birthplace and establish his ancestry, Marcus enlists the help of Gül (Katharina Derr), a brash, chain-smoking Turkish woman with a troubled history of her own. The unlikely duo sets out on a road trip to a small village on the Hungarian-Romanian border, a journey that will irrevocably change them both.
Where to Watch
About International Film Club
The arts, and particularly film, have a special ability to transport us to other places, times, and realities and give us insight into the ways and the whys of the world. The International Relations Council’s International Film Club explores international realities and global issues using films of the world and about the world. The group meets monthly to discuss an award-winning film and the international topics, themes, and issues it raises. Subject-matter experts guide our experience, preparing us with questions and other context before viewing the film and leading the conversation during our monthly meeting. Films, with subtitles if needed, are readily available on common streaming services. Individuals of all backgrounds, interests, and perspectives are welcome – we just ask that you bring an open mind, thoughtful questions, and common courtesy. Registration is free but helps us with planning.
