Confronting Holocaust Denial in 2016's "Denial": How the Film Can Be Used a Teaching Tool Anonymous 10th Grade

The Holocaust denial movement is perhaps one of the strangest and most nonsensical movements in the world. Unfortunately, the movement is becoming more and more prevalent throughout the world as fewer know - and even fewer learn - about the Holocaust. It was 2016’s Denial that reintroduced a new, vast swath of people to the idiocy that is the denial movement. To do that, Denial recounted the true story of David Irving’s lawsuit against historian Deborah Lipstadt in London on the basis that Lipstadt libeled him when she said that Irving was a Holocaust denier in one of her books. Above all, though, Denial is an incredibly engaging and a very good movie which is eminently capable of teaching about the evilness and stupidity of Holocaust denial and those who believe in it.

Ultimately, Denial was moderately successful in accomplishing its goal. It was a flop at the box office as it made only $8 million at the box office against a budget of $10 million. It also was nominated for just one major award: the BAFTA (the equivalent of the British Oscars) for Best British Film. However, the few that saw the film were definitely introduced to and/or given some additional insight into the world of Holocaust denial. It is a very well-made and...