Reviews
Critical acclaim for “The Children of Chabannes”
“It’s not about the mystery of evil; it’s about an equally awesome subject, the mystery of good.”
– Stanley Kauffmann, The New Republic
“One of the most heartening Holocaust films ever made… A splendid, informative and emotionally involving film about people, children and adults alike, who may seem ordinary but who rose to meet extraordinary demands that fate and circumstance demanded of them.”
– Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
“A moving record of the unassuming, uncompromising heroism of ordinary people.”
– A.O. Scott, The New York Times
“The Children of Chabannes” is nothing short of brilliant. As one of the only–if not the only–hopeful explorations of the Holocaust I’ve ever seen, the film is beautifully and meticulously rendered, seamlessly weaving historical and biographical data with contemporary interview footage and critical reflection. I will use the film in my Intercultural Communication class in order to teach students the importance of actively valuing and embracing difference when communicating cross-culturally, as well as to illustrate the transformation that occurs when we treat one another with compassion and respect. Any academic discipline that studies the Holocaust–Communication, English, History, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology–or even those that focus on identity and morality, such as Philosophy or Theater, will find this film an essential pedagogical tool.”
– Joanne Gilbert, Ph.D., Professor and Chair Departments of Communication and New Media Studies, Alma College
“The spectrum of the best and the worst in humanity that emerges in “The Children of Chabannes” is a moving and remarkable experience. It definitely stands out in the crowded field of Holocaust documentaries.”
– Paul Sherman, The Boston Herald
“Chabannes” is a celebratory film, one that will leave you inspired but unexpectedly smiling.”
– Goldie Charles, The Jewish Week
“If you’re looking for a dose of reality, the best-in-class is Lisa Gossels’ very personal The Children of Chabannes… a seamless memoir of courage and a tribute to the human spirit. Superbly crafted.”
– Jack Mathews, The NY Daily News
“A magical first-hand account of heroism and community. What makes “The Children of Chabannes: unique as a Holocaust survivor documentary is how bright and under-traumatized the children turned out to be as adults, how clear-eyed their time in Chabannes seems to have left them. Yet the residual pain that lives in the eyes and the gait of two men who endured the camps is testimony enough to how unlucky so many other were, and that contrast is what distinguishes this film—like all classic fairy tales, it is part innocence and abyss.”
– Henry Cabot Beck, Film.com
“A wonderful new movie by directors Lisa Gossels and Dean Wetherell, one of the most remarkable portrayals of human decency I’ve ever seen.”
– Mike Potemra, National Review
“Extraordinary story about a group of French educators and townspeople who saved nearly 400 Jewish children from the Nazi concentration camps. Narrated by producer-director Lisa Gossels, whose father and uncle were among the “children of Chabannes,” the documentary celebrates individual acts of courage.”
– Maria Garcia, Film Journal International
“This is an extraordinary film that should be seen by everyone: Jews, Christians and all others. Don’t miss this one.”
– Ed Koch, Our Town NYC
“Chabannes turns out to be an extraordinary find for so many reasons, not least is that its story has never been told. Hats off to Gossels and Wetherell for listening, for seeing the seeds of an epic which, when painstakingly researched and pulled together, trumpets the unsung and helps bring lives together.”
– Art Jones, Shout
“The Children of Chabannes” uncovers a fascinating and obscure story from the Holocaust.”
– Hannah Brown, New York Post