The Anne Frank Gift Shop

I had the pleasure to see this short film at a short film screening organized by the American Cinematheque here in Los Angeles. 'The Anne Frank Giftstore' was the last one in the program and from the moment it started, I was already laughing out loud. And that was just the beginning! I had no idea what it was going to be about and the comedic surprises and twists kept following each other. But not only was it brilliantly funny, it was also thought provoking. Without it being too preachy. Super well written, brilliantly performed, this is truly one of the funniest short films I have seen in years.

In the realm of cinema, art has the power to engage, provoke, and challenge societal norms. However, there are instances when the line between artistic expression and sensitivity becomes blurred, and unfortunately, The Anne Frank Gift Shop finds itself within this contentious territory. Shortlisted for the Oscars, the film attempts to shed light on anti-Semitism, using a child's fame that suffers a lot, while laguhing about it, to get more likes. This movie did not had any festival recognition, so it feels like a big commercial push, like a ''coup'' backed by powerful and rich white folks. Its approach raises serious concerns about appropriateness, especially in times marked by the haunting specter of genocide.

Given the title, I didn't know what to expect except to be surprised.

The premise is that the Anne Frank House needs an angle to attract the young. The influencer, the marketers, the museum management, each of their various generations, gather at a meeting to discuss ideas.

Short forms - whether film or book - have to make a quick impact to be memorable and effective, and here is where Gift Shop is a true achievement. In the short running time, we get to know a lot about the meeting goers. They run the gamut - the cynical, the gentle, the disappointed, the crass - and sub-text storylines creep in. We learn about each player's second layer, all in the course of this very short running time.

I am not Jewish (a Christian denomination here), but the remarkable ability of Jews to break down complexity into a few simple propositions, often with humor, is to me remarkable, surely a cultural marker that endows Jews with their near miraculous durability over time. (Of course, given their starring role in the Bible, it may well be miraculous.)

The October 7 Hamas atrocities were my background at the time I saw this, and I couldn't help but be touched by the extraordinary range of emotions this film provoked in me.

This was, in all respects, a masterpiece. Thank you.