Film Screening
Jacob the Liar

A gripping tale of survival and resilience amidst the horrors of the Holocaust

Thu, 07/18/2024
6:00 PM Goethe-Institut Chicago

Dir. Frank Beyer
Germany, 1974
DVD, 101 min 

In 1974, Frank Beyer brought to life a poignant narrative set during the dark days of the Second World War with the film Jakob the Liar. Shot against the backdrop of the political and social tumult of the era, the production of the film faced numerous challenges, including recreating the harrowing conditions of the Jewish ghettos and maintaining historical accuracy.
 
The film is set in a Jewish ghetto in Poland in 1944. It centers on Jakob Heym, a Jewish shopkeeper who is mistakenly believed to have access to news from the outside world. In an effort to uplift the spirits of his fellow ghetto prisoners and provide them with hope, Jakob fabricates stories about the potential ending of the war and the imminent arrival of the Allies. These tales of hope and optimism, however, come with grave consequences when they catch the attention of Nazi authorities. Jakob finds himself navigating a dangerous path, torn between maintaining the facade of being a bearer of good news and the harsh reality of life in the ghetto under Nazi occupation and terror.
 
Jacob the Liar is a deeply moving and thought-provoking film that offers an evocative portrayal of human courage, compassion, and the enduring quest for hope in the darkest of times. The film received several awards, including a Silver Bear for Best Actor awarded to Vlastimil Brodský, and it was the only East German film to be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards.