Director
Mick Jackson
Leading Actors/Actresses
Rachel Weisz, Timothy Spall, and Tom Wilkinson
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Andrew Scott and Jack Lowden
Genre
Biographical Drama
Language
English
Awards
Nominated for the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) for Outstanding British Film of the Year
Date of Release
September 30th, 2016
Producer
Gary Foster and Russ Krasnoff
Setting and Context
Britain, the United Kingdom, 1996-2000
Narrator and Point of View
Through the point of view of Weisz's Lipstadt
Tone and Mood
Celebratory, Sad, Solemn, Unfortunate, Historical, Arduous, Struggling, and Defeated
Protagonist and Antagonist
Deborah Lipstadt vs. David Irving
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the film involves Lipstadt and her teams struggle to convince the world that Irving is not a real historian and a Holocaust denier of the worst kind (they must do this by winning their trial).
Climax
When the "not guilty" verdict is handed down in favor of Lipstadt and the judge says that Irving is a fake historian and a Holocaust denier
Foreshadowing
The "not guilty" verdict is foreshadowed by early interactions with the judge in which it is hinted that he could be sympathetic with Lipstadt and her team.
The "not guilty" verdict is also foreshadowed during Lipstadt's trip to the Auschwitz death camp.
Understatement
The insidious nature of Irving and his comments is understated throughout the film.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
While incredibly well-made and well-shot, Denial is not innovative in filming or lighting or camera techniques.
Allusions
Allusions to history (the trial itself, WWII, and the Holocaust), the Bible, geography (places in Europe, particularly in Great Britain, Germany, and Poland and places in the United States, where Lipstadt is from)
Paradox
The Leuchter report was gathered under shady and improper conditions and is a faulty report yet is featured prominently in Irving's defense (as if it were incredibly valuable and well put together).
Parallelism
N/A
