I am a historian and I specialize on WW1 and WW2 movies. Being also of Hungarian origin, I watched this film with great curiosity. All characters appear designed to be universal archetypes rather than quintessentially Hungarian played by English speaking actors only. Clearly, the film had no intention of presenting accurate historic fact because it is entirely English speaking fiction. You don't watch dramatically accomplished films like this one to search for accurate historical answers. Everyone knows that Hungary was a Nazi puppet state during the dying days of WW2 and there is no hiding place nor escape from that fact. Nazis were retreating toward Berlin, every single institution and organization was in a state of chaos. There were no moral or ethical standards and in that chaotic situation all sides committed war crimes – pro Nazi Hungarian militia eagerly helped Nazis to transport local Jews to the camps, whilst Russians killed and raped anything that moved etc. And as the old world order was collapsing around (as seen in brilliant film "Downfall") everyone was trying to enjoy the pleasures to the maximum and couldn't care less for the laws and orders knowing that tomorrow will be most likely dead. Another historical fact which the writer of the film has cleverly utilized is the fact that the Hungarian Jewish resistance used this chaos as an advantage, successfully forging documents and uniforms and that way saving thousands of innocent lives which would have otherwise perished in the camps. Hungarian Jews are also Hungarian heroes and no matter how some tried to ignore this; Chosen openly states that in the face of prejudice. It's clear why some don't want us to see this film, but for me, their die-hard nationalistic beliefs serve as incentive to see it. It should be everyone's moral and ethical duty to see Chosen and that way show them that this world does not belong to them. It belongs to us as well. The writer and filmmakers' determination to speak so courageously about these hidden taboos that many try to conceal, is admirable. This is a film that celebrates love and justice, and righteously condemns prejudice. 10/10.
Review of Chosen
