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Deep Dive: Colette (2020)

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Colette
Colette is a documentary that follows 90-year-old French Resistance fighter Colette Marin-Catherine as she visits the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp in Nordhausen, Germany, with historian Lucie Fouble. This trip marks her first visit to the site where her brother, Jean-Pierre, died at the age of 19 due to forced labor and malnutrition. The film captures Colette's emotional struggle as she confronts her past, including feelings of guilt and distance from her brother, who was active in the resistance before his arrest and death. The filmmakers, Anthony Giacchino, Alice Doyard, Annie Small, and Aaron Matthews, approached the project with sensitivity, allowing Colette to dictate when filming should stop. They initially faced challenges in persuading her to visit the camp due to her long-standing aversion to Germany. However, with Fouble's support, they were able to create a respectful narrative that honors Colette's experiences and her family's history in the resistance.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Colette Marin-Catherine, a 90-year-old Resistance fighter.
  • •See the emotional visit to Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp.
  • •Find out about Jean-Pierre's role in the French Resistance.

Did You Know

•Colette Marin-Catherine's brother Jean-Pierre died at 19 in a concentration camp.
•The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject in 2021.
•Colette spent 70 years trying to forget her past and avoid Germany.
•The film is 24 minutes long and was released in 2020.

Perfect For

World War II historyFrench ResistanceDocumentary enthusiasts