Mein Kampf

As a tribute to documentary filmmaker Erwin Leiser, who died this year, IDFA screens one of his most startling films. With his debut MEIN KAMPF (1960) he made a name for himself as a maker of social democratic documentaries. Because Leiser made ample use of archive footage he was also called the 'chronicler' of German history. He said the following about his award-winning first film: "Mein kampf sets the truth against Hitler's statements in his book of the same name. Propaganda material, produced by the Third Reich rulers themselves, now contradicts them. The film gives an image of an era that can only be concluded when it can be guaranteed that it will never be repeated".