reposted from dailyKos
Last Mother’s Day, my mother insisted that I watch a movie. She has never done this before or since. The movie is called Paper Clips, it’s out on DVD, and I urge everyone to see it. It’s about the holocaust, it’s about a small town in Tennessee, it’s about changing people and changing the world, and there is more after the fold
Why am I recommended a film on docudharma? This isn’t a site about film, after all. There are two big reasons: First, from dailyKos spillover and from my time here, I’ve come to think of myself as part of this community, and to count some as friends. My friends should see this movie. Second, although it isn’t totally obvious, this is exactly a docudharma kind of film
Before I go into a little detail, I will say that the movie, while uplifting overall, does deal with a lot of horrible information. It’s a disturbing film. It’s a good kind of disturbing, but I think that it might not be right for kids younger than about 10, and even older ones will need guidance with it, particularly if they do not know about the holocaust. It’s not graphic like Schindler’s List or Shoah, it all takes place in Tennessee, in the 1990s.
OK, some details, without (I hope) spoiling it. In 1998, in Whitwell, Tennessee (a small, all-white, all-Protestant town near Chatanooga)the high school principal decided that the kids should learn about some different people. She decided that the school would study the holocaust. They started off with not much idea of what to do. Few of the teachers knew. One of the teachers admits to having been rather prejudiced. They got the idea to try to collect a paper clip for every Jew who died in the camps. This is their story.
Go see it.
It’s inspiring.
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tell us what you thought.
If not…. you have a treat in store. But have tissues handy.
the movie is inspiring.
hearing the voices of the ‘actors’ is inspiring….and some of the things they received were downright heartbreakingly awesome…in that i was awed…
i dont want to give away too much either, but i second your recommendation. i watched it with my youngest, then 12, and she enjoyed it immensely as well…though she had a solid background understanding of the holocaust before seeing it.
it to the top of my NetFlix queue, sounds awesome, can’t wait to get it! Thanks plf!
I was so intrigued by your essay that I just ran up to the local video rental place, but they didn’t have it. So I went online and ordered it. Looks like just the kind of movie I’ll love.
@ netflix…Thanks friend!