Review of Misa's Fugue (2012) by John D — 16 Nov 2012

All documentaries on survivors that I have seen are searing, instructive, and meaningful. This production and film, however, is truly unique among Holocaust survivor documentaries. This historical and creative work could not have been produced without a bit of luck, surviving family film clips from the 1930s, family photography from the 1940s, and Spielberg's Shoah oral history archive. Even more important proved to be the creative vision of the director, extensive historical knowledge of the producer, key efforts of fellow faculty at Fleetwood Area High School, and most importantly scores of artistic contributions (visual and musical) by pupils of Fleetwood High. Given the richness of outstanding works of the last 25 years, we've become used to giants producing stellar works on the history of the Holocaust. This documentary, however, is truly *unique* in that it's an accomplished, singular, and original collaborative creation not of established documentarians. Instead the "giants" here are secondary educators (film specialists, historians, script writers, editors) and their many, many pupils (a composer, vocalists, musicians, artists, and researchers). In short: this is an incredible and unique documentary. Don't miss it: it has much to teach and it's truly one of a kind.

John J. Delaney, Ph.D.

Former Revson Research Fellow.

Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

And.

Professor of History.

Department of History.

Kutztown University.

Kutztown, PA USA.