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Paragraph 175

Play trailer Poster for Paragraph 175 2000 1h 16m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 19 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Rupert Everett narrates this harrowing documentary about the persecution of homosexuals in the Third Reich, which adds a deeper dimension to Holocaust history. Using an obscure paragraph in Germany's penal code dating back to 1871, the Nazi government arrested gay men, sending them to jail or concentration camps, where they were tortured and murdered. Interviews with aging survivors detail the shift from the social freedoms of the Weimar Republic to the repressive terror imposed by the Nazis.
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Paragraph 175

Critics Reviews

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John Leonard New York Magazine/Vulture 02/05/2018
... absorbing documentary... Go to Full Review Eric Harrison Houston Chronicle 05/21/2001
One of the most moving interviews is with Pierre Seel. Go to Full Review David Fear culturevulture.net 01/01/2000
Rarely have simple scenes of people reminiscing been so heartbreaking. Go to Full Review Alabama Forum Staff Alabama Forum 05/04/2023
Paragraph 175 combines recent interviews with six of the nine known survivors, some speaking publicly for the first time, and a wealth of archival and personal photographs and film footage taken before the war. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 06/26/2022
A heartbreaking portrait of an oft-overlooked aspect of the Holocaust that feels eerily timely now. Go to Full Review Glenn Dunks The Film Experience 11/02/2020
...casts further tragic light on the experience of LGBTIQ people across history and does so with stark candor. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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11/30/2011 Something's lacking. But very moving. See more 06/17/2011 It's extremely disturbing that some of the same arguments used by the Nazis to justify such vile acts against humanity are now being used by the Christian Right to justify denying us our full civil rights. See more 04/04/2011 An uncanny and strong expose, the figures of emotions spread across the fabric of the film is hair - raising. See more 10/20/2010 Excellent for what it is ... See more 08/26/2009 First watched this in high school with my best friend. Was very affected by it but didn't fully appreciate it. Watched it again as a 26 year old and it was moving beyond belief. Reached into the depths of my soul to try to understand how human beings can do such things to other human beings. Sad that it was made so long after the Holocaust when most of the survivors had already died. See more 07/07/2009 From what I could glean from my viewing, this documentary (already 9 years old!) was well-researched and constructed as well as moving. Unfortunately, there were no English subtitles for the interviewees who spoke German and French; however, I was delighted to have Rupert narrate intermittently. Look forward to a second sitting. See more Read all reviews
Paragraph 175

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Rob Epstein

Director

Jeffrey Friedman

Director

Rupert Everett

Narrator

Sharon Wood

Writer

Janet Cole

Producer

Michael Ehrenzweig

Producer

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Paragraph 175

Paragraph 175 (2000) Paragraph 175 (2000) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Rupert Everett narrates this harrowing documentary about the persecution of homosexuals in the Third Reich, which adds a deeper dimension to Holocaust history. Using an obscure paragraph in Germany's penal code dating back to 1871, the Nazi government arrested gay men, sending them to jail or concentration camps, where they were tortured and murdered. Interviews with aging survivors detail the shift from the social freedoms of the Weimar Republic to the repressive terror imposed by the Nazis.
Director
Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Producer
Janet Cole, Michael Ehrenzweig, Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Screenwriter
Sharon Wood
Distributor
New Yorker Films, Films Transit International [ca/nl/us]
Production Co
HBO Theatrical Documentary, Channel Four Films, Cinemax, Telling Pictures, Zero Film GmbH, Zero Gravity Productions
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 13, 2000, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Jul 23, 2002
Box Office (Gross USA)
$96.2K
Runtime
1h 16m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Surround