How Should We Remember?

To embark upon an exploration of how cinema in the Western world has grappled with the representation of the Holocaust since 1945 is to confront an endeavor of unparalleled complexity. Each country and continent have woven its unique cinematic tapestry, reflecting distinct historical narratives, cultural perspectives, and societal reckonings. Across Europe and the US, the aftermath of World War II spawned a multifaceted array of cinematic representations, each colored by the specific traumas, triumphs, and moral ambiguities experienced by its populace. Questions of collaboration, victimhood, and heroism unfurl with labyrinthine intricacy, weaving a diverse narrative mosaic. Amidst this tapestry of geopolitical and cultural intricacies, one must also navigate the ceaseless evolution of political, social, and historical landscapes alongside generational shifts. This chapter embarks upon this labyrinthine journey, delving, in its beginning, into the complexities of cinematic representation and remembrance in the Western world. The chapter will then focus on Israeli cinema as a case study. Traversing eight decades of cinematic exploration, the chapter will posit a profound disparity between the representation of the Holocaust and Holocaust survivors in Israeli documentary and fiction films and will show that these two genres delineate divergent trajectories in the collective memory of Israeli cinema.