Paragraph 175 (2000)

93% of critics liked it
(15 reviews)
80% of users liked it
(895 ratings)

Academy-award winning documentary filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman direct this harrowing, lyrical look at the persecution of homosexuals during the Third Reich. German historian and member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Klaus Muller interviews the dozen or so surviving victims, now… More Academy-award winning documentary filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman direct this harrowing, lyrical look at the persecution of homosexuals during the Third Reich. German historian and member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Klaus Muller interviews the dozen or so surviving victims, now frail and wizened, who recount their experiences. Jewish resistance fighter Gad Beck recalls how he posed as a Hitler Youth in an ultimately vain attempt at saving his lover. One man was freed from a sentence at Dachau only to be interned again a Buchenwald. Another recalls hearing, in the distance, a "singing forest" -- the sound of gays bound and tortured by Nazis in a local grove. Epstein and Friedman fashion a layered narrative consisting not only of interviews but also archival footage depicting background life in Weimar Germany. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 16 min.
Directed By: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Written By: Sharon Wood
Genres: Documentary, Special Interest

In Theaters: Sep 13, 2000 Limited
On DVD: Jul 23, 2002
Studio: Telling Pictures

Critic Reviews

Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle
One of the most moving interviews is with Pierre Seel.
Kevin Maynard, Mr. Showbiz
The reason to watch is the firsthand testimonies themselves.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
An exquisite and powerful documentary -- one whose elegance only heightens its devastating impact.
Lawrence Van Gelder, New York Times
At once admirable and deeply unsettling.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Importante documentário que, embora burocrático em sua estrutura, traz depoimentos fortes e comoventes, revelando aspectos pouco divulgados sobre os horrores da Segunda Guerra.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Illuminating, eloquent, harrowing and, at times, surprisingly humorous account of the untold story of the Nazi persecution of homosexuals of the Third Reich.
Shlomo Schwartzberg, Boxoffice Magazine
It's a provocative subject, but one that is undermined by directors Jeffrey Friedman and Rob Epstein's overly narrow focus.
Stephen Tropiano, PopMatters
An extraordinary film that serves as important reminder.
Robert Strohmeyer, Filmcritic.com
The salvation of this picture is the humanity it contains.