The Last Stage

2/5/2024

Director Wanda Jakubowska was, herself, interred in Auschwitz during the latter stages of WWII, and so is uniquely placed to tell us the story of "Marta" (a stirring effort from Barbara Drapinski). A Jewish woman who is sent for slaughter to this infamous camp, but whom - by a curious twist of fate - is selected to interpret for the Nazis. That may spare her, but she must watch her family and countless others live lives of violence, deprivation and humiliation before the potential relief of death was visited upon them. What we see here illustrates really succinctly the brutality that went on here; and sometimes that appeared all the worst because the criminal frau were just as complicit in these atrocities as the men. Indeed, some seemed to positively relish their newfound power! The use o