I found Anita B. to be a very compelling movie. It deviated from the normal Holocaust narrative, choosing to focus on the survivors and those who did not want to remember. It portrayed the complexities and diversity in the way that victims deal with grief and trauma. It showed those who choose to forget and those who fought to remember. By choosing to not focus on the horrors of what actually happened in Auschwitz the movie depicts the unsettling idea that those who survived were not necessarily free. Being Jewish is still not something Monika is proud of. Surviving is not something Monika is proud of instead she is ashamed. This showing how surviving the Holocaust is just one small piece to an individual's recovery. There is so much grief and guilt that individuals dealt with because they survived while the people they loved were killed. Another aspect I found intriguing about the film was how Anita's caring for Rob foreshadowed her future of motherhood. I think that the relationship she builds with Roby throughout the film is important because it proves to the viewer, and to Anita herself, that she can handle motherhood. This is important because it also highlights her growing confidence and independence. Her pregnancy becomes a symbol of the future and the possibilities of the future. I think an interesting line in the film is when Eli says that he does not want to bring a child into this world, implying that this world is too evil for a child to have to suffer through. However, I think that Anita's child symbolizes something completely different: that another generation will come and that this generation won't know the pains of the Holocaust the way Anita does. Her child symbolizes a hope for the future and the possibility of a better future for all persons. The movie ends on a hopeful note. Anita sets out on a journey by herself, without a man. She has grown into the woman she wants to be and she has taken charge of her life. She is no longer afraid.
Review of Anita B.
