Review of 1945 (2017) by Keithdow — 16 Dec 2017

Films like 'Schindler's List' and 'The Pianist' dutifully memorialize the myriad horrors that occurred on European lands during the Second World War. But often enough, there is much less consideration given towards the continued pain and suffering of those who were most directly victimized by the war immediately following May 8th, 1945--otherwise known as V-E Day.

'1945,' a subtitled Hungarian film shot in black-and-white, brings those stark realities to life. Six million Jews were murdered as a result of the Holocaust. Millions more were displaced. Jewish-owned land was appropriated, homes were confiscated, and businesses were seized. So what happened when the survivors--and rightful owners of all that property--finally returned? '1945' poses the question, then compellingly brings that scenario to life via a small Hungarian village that is forced to face the lingering sins of its recent past. The storyline is raw, stripped down, and bleak, much like the atmosphere at the time. It's got Hitchcockian pacing to it, in which a spark turns into a flame that soon bursts into a wildfire. And when the end credits finally roll, the burdensome weight of a guilty conscious settles over the town, leaving audience members with a newfound perspective on the truly awful reverberations of war.