Review of Avenue of the Giants

5 November 2024. Film from 2023, now titled as "The Optimist: The Bravest Act Is Truth"

Really excellent movie. There are so many tragic stories of victims and survivors of the Holocaust. I am thankful for the courage of those who survived—who are able to speak/write/tell about the conditions they were forced to endure and the circumstances surrounding their captivity. Every human story is important and their lived experiences are all meaningful, though not always positive or mutually beneficial for those involved. The accounts of the people they encountered along the way and how it affected relationships between peoples, communities, families, friends, and others is so important for us to hear and to learn from. To discuss and discover what it means to be human, to be confronted with what our species is capable of under extreme manipulation and authoritarian control due to propaganda, and also what we are capable of holding onto under extreme duress and untenable circumstances.