Imaginary Witness (FT)

Name: Imaginary Witness (FT)
Director: Daniel Anker
Released: 2004

Daniel Anker 2004

Told through first-hand accounts of directors, actors, writers, and producers this documentary asks hard questions about the uneasy relationship between American popular culture and the Holocaust.

We find out about the difficulties and responsibility of filmmakers as they re-imagine for the screen the horrors of Nazi Germany and how film itself has the power to shape and reflect history and memory.

Add to Playlist

Add Bookmark

Bookmark List

Play Trailer

Running Time:

92 min.

Spoken Languages:

English

Subtitles:

English

Directors:

Daniel Anker

Producers:

Daniel Anker

Production Companies:

Daniel Anker Productions

Press

Film Threat

“Deserves merit for detailing a painful subject with maturity and intelligence”

Phil Hall
Boston Globe

“Daniel Anker's film faults Hollywood both for ignoring the Holocaust during the war years and for trivializing it later. It's a mixed message that coheres largely thanks to Anker's archival spadework and his luck in securing interviews.”

Ty Burr
Arizona Republic

“Imaginary Witness is powerful and complex, and few will manage to make it through to the end without gasping, weeping or covering their eyes.”

Richard Nilsen
Seattle Times

“Anker's film is an important one, shining a light on that red stain and how we saw it filtered through Hollywood's lens.”

Moira MacDonald
TIME OUT NEW YORK

“This solid, clip-heavy history of Hollywood’s narrative efforts pushes past sobriety to arrive at some tough ideas.”

Joshua Rothkopf
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“Sheds light on the paradoxes and political maneuvering that went on in the studios.”

Bill White

Festival Participation

Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival, China - 2007
Adelaide Film Festival, Australia - 2005
Cleveland International Film Festival, USA - 2005
Iceland International Film Festival - 2005
Warsaw International Jewish Film Festival, Poland - 2005
Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival, China - 2005
Tribeca Film Festival, USA - 2004
Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival - 2004
Special Jury Award for Documentary Research
Hamptons International Film Festival - 2004
Audience Award for Best Documentary
Newport International Film Festival, USA - 2004
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, USA - 2004

Additional Materials

Film Poster

Distribution Company

Back to Film Summary

This Week’s Featured Films

An investigative journalist uncovers the money, influence, and alarming rationale behind covert efforts to control the most vital resource on the planet in the latest exposé from filmmaker Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish)
The road to eliminating poverty begins with her
Israel's military service is questioned through the experiences of young Israelis struggling with enlistment pressures. Innocence uncovers the personal cost of conforming, with lost lives and haunting diaries illustrating the impact of military duty on young souls.
BUTTERFLY IN THE SKY tells the story of the beloved PBS children’s series “Reading Rainbow,” its iconic host LeVar Burton, and the challenges its creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television.
How did we come to this moment, where free speech issues have never felt more complicated and urgent, and where the nation is wondering a new: what price are we willing to pay for free speech?
Let us tell you a story about the boundary pushers who shape souls and give children strange dreams. The stars of STORY & PICTURES BY are picture book creators changing the narrative for the next generation, even when their own lives are not fairytales.
A political thriller that that goes inside the U.S. fundamentalist Evangelicals, revealing their power and influence on U.S. foreign policy, as they aim to fulfill the Armageddon prophecy and ultimately destroy our civilization
A one-hour documentary that delves into the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the birth of a new movement to treat and prevent toxic stress
Generation Growth tells the story of Green Bronx Machine and its founder, Stephen Ritz, as they grow high performing public schools, happy & healthy children, empowered teachers, and equitable, resilient communities across the nation.