Denial (2016)

Acclaimed writer and historian Deborah E. Lipstadt must battle for historical truth to prove the Holocaust actually occurred when David Irving, a renowned denier, sues her for libel.

Director:

Mick Jackson

Writers:

Deborah Lipstadt (based on the book "History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier" by) (as Deborah E. Lipstadt), David Hare (screenplay by)

Stars:

Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Spall

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rachel Weisz	...	Deborah Lipstadt
Tom Wilkinson	...	Richard Rampton
Timothy Spall	...	David Irving
Andrew Scott	...	Anthony Julius
Jack Lowden	...	James Libson
Caren Pistorius	...	Laura Tyler
Alex Jennings	...	Sir Charles Gray
Harriet Walter	...	Vera Reich
Mark Gatiss	...	Prof. Robert Jan Van Pelt
John Sessions	...	Prof. Richard Evans
Nikki Amuka-Bird	...	Libby Holbrook
Pip Carter	...	Anthony Forbes-Watson
Jackie Clune	...	Heather Rogers
Will Attenborough	...	Thomas Skelton-Robinson
Max Befort	...	Nik Wachsman

Storyline

Based on the acclaimed book "History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier," DENIAL recounts Deborah E. Lipstadt's (Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz) legal battle for historical truth against David Irving (Cannes Award winner Timothy Spall), who accused her of libel when she declared him a Holocaust denier. In the English legal system in Defamation, the burden of proof is on the accused, therefore it was up to Lipstadt and her legal team to prove the essential truth that the Holocaust occurred. Also starring two-time Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson, the film is directed by Emmy Award winner Mick Jackson ("Temple Grandin") and adapted for the screen by BAFTA and Academy Award nominated writer David Hare (THE READER). Producers are Gary Foster and Russ Krasnoff.

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Plot Keywords:

anti semitism | courtroom | holocaust denial | holocaust | historian | 

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Taglines:

Based on a true story.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Second movie of 2016 with Rachel Weisz and Caren Pistorius after The Light Between Oceans (2016).

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Goofs

In several scenes of traffic set in the 1990's, more modern cars are visible.

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Quotes

Deborah Lipstadt: Now, some people are saying that the result of this trial will threaten free speech. I don't accept that. I'm not attacking free speech. On the contrary, I've been defending it against someone who wanted to abuse it. Freedom of speech means you can say whatever you want. What you can't do is lie and expect not to be held accountable for it. Not all opinions are equal. And some things happened, just like we say they do. Slavery happened, the Black Death happened. The Earth is round, the ice caps...

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Connections

Featured in Film '72: Episode #46.2 (2017)

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Soundtracks

Largo from Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58
Composed by Frédéric Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret
Licensed courtesy of Naxos Rights US Inc

User Reviews

The film Denial puts much more than history on trial!

From the celebrated British playwright David Hare the film Denial is the prism through which the rigours of history are questioned and placed on trial, as is academia, the English Criminal Justice System and its elitism.

Indeed, the English Justice System is here compared to the American one with their opposing methodologies of ensuring justice is achieved. It subsequently pays homage to the English Justice System as imperfectly good. By that it's elitist, but democratic and fair according to the film's point of view that is!

Academia is also put on trial by the film. This is accomplished by using British Holocaust denier, and Hitler fan David Irving as a tool by which truth is juxtaposed with postmodern ideas of truth as a subjective phenomena which needs questioning and re-interpreting. As such postmodern ideas of subjective truth of one's own interpretation of it as in this case 'history' is suggested as not merely corrupted but dangerous too. It can lead to all kinds of complications when we question truth!

Other themes in this film include sexism, feminism, racism Zionism, and much more.

This film is multilayered ad highly recommended for those who like to think!

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English German Hebrew

Release Date:

21 October 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Déni

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$93,728, 2 October 2016

Gross USA:

$4,073,489

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,994,527

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Krasnoff / Foster Entertainment, Participant

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1