Six Million and One

In the compelling documentary Six Million and One, director David Fisher takes us on a deeply personal, thought-provoking journey that intertwines family, history, and the complex narrative of human resilience. The film, released in 2011, draws heavily from Fisher's own experiences and familial ties, creating a rich and relatable point of view that adds a layer of depth to the story.

The story of Six Million and One unfolds with a reveal of a diary kept by Fisher's late father, a Holocaust survivor. This diary, filled with memories of his time in Gusen and Gunskirchen, Austria's concentration camps, becomes the focal point of the film. Rather than making it a historical recollection of facts, Fisher transforms the documentary into a universal portrayal of individuals coping with the past. He and his three siblings embark on a journey to trace their father's painful past, visiting the disquieting locations at which the events described in the diary happened.

While the film's underlying theme centers on the Holocaust's atrocities, Six Million and One refrains from resorting to graphic details and illustrations. Instead, it leans towards the emotions and relationships that rise from confronting this past, with Fisher using his father's memoir as a framework to engage both his siblings and his audience in a dialogue about memory, familial bonds, and shared trauma.

Fisher's siblings, Esther, Gideon, and Ronel, each contribute to the documentary by bringing their perspectives and responses to the situation, adding dimensions to the narrative. Fisher invites the audience into their intimate sibling dynamic as they each grapple with the weight of their father's experiences. These interactions range from deep philosophical conversations, funny anecdotes, to emotional disputes, immersing viewers in the raw human experience of sifting through a painful lineage.

In the movie, Fisher ingeniously blends a concerning period from history with a contemporary expedition to create a narrative that is not formulaic or sternly historical. The director’s approach to this somber subject verges on the conversational. The siblings' engaging discussions during their quest seem organic, informal, and honest, rather than structured interviews.

Technically, the film is beautifully shot, with locations echoing the stark narrative and evoking a sense of poignant fascination. The cinematography has a haunting quality that lends itself to the thoughtful and reflective tone of the film. The stark landscapes juxtaposed with scenes of laughter and tears amongst the siblings add to the film's depth and weight, successfully capturing the emotional complexity that often accompanies examining one's past.

Six Million and One strikes a delicate balance between history and personal narrative, focusing on the aspect of "bearing witness" to history, which is not about the recounting of facts but the processing of shared human experiences. The film taking the name Six Million and One subtly underlines this idea: the six million representing the Jews who perished in the Holocaust, and 'one' referring to Fisher's father - turning a historical event into a personal narrative.

Additionally, Fisher brings a therapeutic angle to the film, with the siblings' journey seeming like a process of collective healing. It ultimately provokes reflections on how one confronts the residual pain of the past generations and turns them into channels of strength, understanding, and acceptance. The retro traces, interviews, historical exploration are parts of the healing process – the siblings are confronting their history to understand their present.

In its essence, the film explores a myriad of themes, but it is primarily a testament to the resilience of human spirit, the value of shared stories, and their role in shaping individual identities and collective history.

A documentary film that's as personal as it is universal, Six Million and One is a heartfelt exploration of the ways in which history, memory and family intersect. It's a thought-provoking, insightful, and ultimately uplifting piece of cinema that leaves a lasting impression on its viewers.