At the Fountainhead (Of German Strength)

A German-Jewish musician seeks exile in Cold War London in this rich experimental work.

A rich and challenging account of the experiences of a German Jewish musician who settled in Britain to escape Nazi persecution. Two of his friends are being sued by a former SS Kommandant, who denies their accusation that he was responsible for the genocide of 300 Belgians.

Documentary interviews and archive footage merge with dramatised scenes to create a new way of representing history and memory. No synopsis can do justice to the complexities of the vision of directors Anthea Kennedy and Nick Burton. The German Jew is played by two actors as well as Kennedy’s father, on whom the character is based. In one of the most pointed critiques, a comparison is drawn between censorious legislation from the Nazi era and an almost identical law from the Bundestag in 1978. Intelligent and rigorous, the film merits (and rewards) repeat viewings.