The Holocaust
The key theme of the film is the Holocaust; the protagonist, Deborah, is a Holocaust scholar, and her nemesis, David Irving, is a Holocaust denier, which means that there is discussion of and reference to Nazi Germany and the systematic extermination of Jews during the Hitler regime. The movie also takes us to Poland, as Deborah and her attorneys visit Auschwitz for themselves. They are shown around by an Auschwitz expert who is able to show them the gas chambers, which Irving denies the existence of. The film revolves around the Holocaust; there is also eyewitness testimony from a survivor who wants very much to testify at the trial.
Holocaust Denial
Irving is a Holocaust denier; this means exactly what is indicated. He espouses the lie that the Holocaust never happened; yes, there were internment camps where Jewish people, as well as Catholics and political opponents of Hitler were imprisoned, but he claims that these were not death camps. He even comes up with a media-friendly epithet to labor his point - "no holes, no Holocaust" - and to state that there were no holes in the roof of the buildings that were said to be gas chambers, therefore there was no way that gas could have been introduced. The film also shows that Holocaust denial is a tool used by anti-Semites and fascists to promote their own agenda.
Narcissism
David Irving is a narcissist. He decides to represent himself in court because he likes the stage and because he feels that nobody is cleverer than he is. This assessment includes the experienced and respected legal brains representing Deborah. He is manipulative and charismatic in equal measure. He delights in demeaning and humiliating anyone who disagrees with him; in fact, this is another symptom of his narcissism; he is too arrogant to accept that anyone can disagree with him without retributive action. As a narcissist, he also believes that he is the most believable and credible person in the room, looking down on everyone else.
