by Kate Elfatah, Critic, Indie Entertainment Media

I recently had the opportunity to preview Bau: Artist at War, and I will admit to you that I was fully expecting this to be an intense, brutal Holocaust drama of the type that gets the waterworks flowing. In short, what I was not prepared for at all was a Holocaust drama with that sort of tone to end up being such a rarity as a powerful and important true story with heart, wit, and humanity that function as real and effective acts of resistance.

Synopsis: Bau: Artist at War is a moving and timely love story about a talented artist who finds the strength to love, live and create inside the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp during World War II. Told through the eyes of one man, the acclaimed screenwriter and director duo of Aaron and Amanda Kopp breathe cinematic life into this tale of extraordinary heroism and forbidden love during one of the most brutal times in history.

A gifted artist, forger and one of hundreds of thousands of Jews captured and imprisoned by the Nazis in the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp, Joseph Bau discovers his best chance of survival lies not just in using his creative talents to overcome impossible odds, but also in finding a way to inject a sense of light, levity and joy into the darkness that surrounds him. Day after grueling day, Joseph’s skill, humor and artistic abilities enable him to save countless prisoners’ lives, but most of all, it leads him to the love of his life, Rebecca Tennenbaum. In a testament to the enduring power of love and human resilience, Joseph and Rebecca find a way to marry in secret in the depths of the camp itself.

Director: Sean McNamara Cast: Emile Hirsch, Inbar Lavi, Edward Foy, Yan Tual, Adam Tsekhman

Running Time: 130 min. (2 hours 10 minutes)

A Fire-Forged Love Story

Set in the Plaszów concentration camp, the film centers around the true story of the relationship between Joseph Bau and Rebecca Tennenbaum. The love story of these two is really a love story forged in fire in the literal heart of that vile place. This part is really stunningly pulled off, by the way, because in addition to the expected element of horror and brutality, the film shines a light on the amazing resilience of the human spirit.

It may sound familiar to you as this story was featured in Schindler’s List, but for this film, the story is all about Joseph and Rebecca and their struggle. It’s a story where you really feel like you are right there with them trying to make moments of normalcy and joy even though everything around them is set to make that impossible.

Act of Resistance

What really makes this film stand out though, and you will know this from reading the plot above, is how it effectively uses Joseph’s art as part of the story. He was an accomplished artist and forger, and the film uses this to not only show that his ability, combined with his humor and ingenuity, function as a real and practical act of resistance that saved hundreds of prisoners. You could argue that the drawings he made, some of which are haunting and others of which, are … well, yes, they are actually kind of funny, represent a real act of resistance against the Nazi regime.

The point is that this film is a story that uses the resistance of both love and art as key elements of the plot and not just incidental parts of the story. It’s a good, it’s a really important part of this film, but it’s also a thing to focus on while you are watching the film, so think about that while you are watching Bau: Artist at War.

Beautifully Shot

Speaking of the film itself, it is, in a word, gorgeously shot. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful, and it raises the bar and helps to make the whole thing feel more cinematic and epic in scale in the best ways possible.

A Must-See Film

In closing, I am reminded of Schindler’s List, which I have to admit I did not care for at the time as a film in and of itself, but like that film, this is one that you really should see in the theaters. It’s an affirmation, a beautiful thing that you should definitely see when it opens on Sept. 26, 2025 as it is such an important film, and it’s also just a reminder that love and creativity are bonds of resistance that not even the worst of atrocities can ever break.

Rating:  (4 out of 5 stars)

Find showtimes and tickets at the official Bau: Artist at War website or with major theater chains beginning with its nationwide release on Sept. 26, 2025.