The Photographer of Mauthausen (2018)

In the relentless grip of World War II in 1943, the Mauthausen concentration camp seethes with brutality. The inmates, including soldiers defeated in the Spanish Civil War and exiled from Spain, are viewed as no more than disposable labor, a grim gift to the Third Reich from General Franco. Within this pitiless world of horrors, young Catalan photographer and communist militant, Francesc Boix, seeks to survive. As Paul Ricken's right-hand in the camp's photo lab, Boix's existence is a bleak carousel of capturing images, conversing with fellow inmates like Balbuena and Fonseca, and filing records of those who have fallen in futile escape attempts. But a clandestine radio reveals a glimmer of hope: the Third Reich has been defeated by the Soviet Army at the Battle of Stalingrad. Haunted by the fear that the Nazis, including the ruthless SS Officer Franz Ziereis, will erase all evidence of their atrocities if they lose the war, Boix becomes obsessed with safeguarding the negatives of the photos he has taken. These haunting images starkly expose the monstrosities of this depraved system, and Boix is determined to make sure the world sees them. Despite a failed attempt to escape and publish the photos, Boix, aided by other Spanish prisoners leading the clandestine resistance, hatches a second daring plan to preserve the negatives and evade the ever-watchful eyes of Ricken and Ziereis. As the clock ticks and the command to incinerate everything looms, Boix's perilous mission becomes a race against time. "The Photographer of Mauthausen" paints a vivid portrait of a man risking everything to preserve the truth. A testament to human resilience and a devastating indictment of the horrors of war, the photos saved by Boix and his fellow inmates ultimately play a crucial role in the Nuremberg trials, transforming Boix from an inmate into the only Spaniard bearing witness to Nazi atrocities on the stand. A tale of survival, courage, and the overwhelming power of truth, this film is a potent reminder of the darkness humanity is capable of and the light that can expose it.

The Photographer of Mauthausen is a drama movie featuring Mario Casas and directed by Mar Targarona.

The Photographer of Mauthausen is currently streaming on Netflix and Netflix basic with Ads.