Remember This

Haven't seen the film yet, but have read the book which is brilliant, and had the pleasure of seeing David Strathairn and Daniel Goldman at the Beyond Borders Festival in Scotland where they talked about Jan Karski and how they went about making the film. David also did a couple impromptu scenes, again with no props or anything and his ability to define different characters with accents and movements, his fantastic voice made the piece quite spellbinding. It was mesmerising and deeply moving and the best session of the whole weekend. Thank you for telling this amazing story, it deserves a much wider audience than it might get on PBS.

I have been obsessed with David Strathairn since I first saw him in The Return of the Seacaucus Seven in 1980. I have also seen as many films, both fictional and documentaries, about the Holocaust as I could. I have read several books and watched lectures on this lowest point of humankind. This piece, Remember This, exploded inside me.

Strathairn has never been better. He gave a very physical performance for anyone, particularly a man in his 70's. His use of a variety of accents, particularly speaking as a Polish national, was impeccable.

I have never heard of Jan Karski before. Thanks to this remarkable presentation I shall never forget him. It was fitting that I saw this on PBS's Great Performances. Thanks to the partnership between Strathairn and Karski it truly was a great performance.