THE PHOTOGRAPHER OF MAUTHAUSEN

Spain, 2018, 110 minutes, Colour.

Mario Casas, Richard Van Weyden.

Directed by Mar Targarona.

There are also many World War II, concentration camp dramas coming from Spain. However, this is a reconstruction of life in the camp of Mauthausen.

The film is based on an actual character, Francisco Boix, who fought in the Spanish Civil War, was exiled along with many other Spaniards after Franco’s victory, moving to France, many in the Foreign Legion, but, with the German occupation of France, their being relegated to the concentration camp, 7000 of them.

Audiences will be interested in a Spanish perspective on the war and the concentration camps. The film reconstructs the sets, the daily life of the prisoners. It shows the oppression of the authorities.

However, the focus is on Francisco, his skill as a photographer, Paul Ricken, his commander, also being interested in photography, the range of photographs taken, for IDs of prisoners, for events in the camp. The film shows the up-and-down relationship between Francisco and the commander, bonding, suspicions. There are others who participate in the photography and the development of the photos?

Ultimately, 2000 negatives were preserved by Francisco and the others, handed over to the allies and used in evidence against the authorities in Mauthausen and in their trials.

There was a documentary on Francisco Boix in 2001 – and a graphic novel on his life story in 2017.

1. A true story? From the Civil War to France to the concentration camps?
2. Creating the atmosphere of World War II, the concentration camps, the detail of the camp at Mauthausen? Musical score?
3. Audience response to World War II films, to the camps, the plight of the prisoners, the Nazis and the guards? The authorities?
4. Creating the atmosphere of the camps, living conditions, work, food, employment? Day by day detail? Moods, the dangers?
5. The story of Francisco Boix, his background in the Civil War, Franco and the defeat, the Civil War fighters going to France, Foreign Legion, the defeat of friends, the imprisonment of the Spaniards, 7000 in Mauthausen? Franco depriving them of citizenship?
6. Francisco, age, experience, personality, serious and joking, his skills as a photographer, the relationship with the commander, Paul Ricken, the bonding, yet Francisco’s wariness? The range of photographs, the IDs of the prisoners, photographing events? Collaborating with other prisoners with the photography, development, the negatives?
7. Ricken, his role in the camp, authority, oppressive? Yet favouring Francisco? Suspicions or not? His own interest in photography, having a record of the events in the camp?
8. The years passing, life in the camp, the effect on Francisco? His friends, fellow-collaborators?
9. The end of the war, the negatives, as evidence of the atrocities, saving the negatives? Having the most of the authorities? Using evidence against the authorities at Mauthausen?