The Holocaust is the backdrop against which director Vadim Perelman presents a challenging tale of horror, humor, and romance in his film “Persian Lessons”. The narrative revolves around Gilles (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), a Jewish Frenchman captured by the Nazis, and his survival story. At the outset, Gilles trades his sandwich for an antique Persian book with a fellow prisoner moments before he is condemned to death by a firing squad. He manages to dodge the bullets, frantically waving the book in front of the shooters, screaming, “I’m Persian!” His captors’ need for a Persian speaker keeps him alive as they recruit him to teach the language to Commandant Klaus Koch (Lars Eidinger). The absurd premise of a Frenchman pretending to be Persian and inventing words to teach his captor the language adds a satirical element to the drama.
Eidinger’s portrayal of the narcissistic and self-aggrandizing Koch drives the plot and anchors the film. As Gilles struggles to keep up the pretense, the suspenseful and high-tension story unfolds. Meanwhile, the petty sexual dramas of the Nazis detract from the central narrative, while Gilles’s supposed liaison with Koch adds to the complexity of their relationship. Unlike other Holocaust films, such as “Jojo Rabbit” or “Life is Beautiful,” “Persian Lessons” avoids being over the top and cartoonish and manages to balance conflicting emotions.
However, like all Holocaust dramas, “Persian Lessons” also needs to explore the power of human resilience and compassion. The film hits those notes with an increasing degree of heavy-handedness, resulting in an uneasy sense of sentimentality that contrasts with the grim setting of the concentration camp. The film’s charm lies in the strange and bizarre friendship between the unlikely pair of Gilles and Koch, and their unique way of communicating.
Persian Lessons
Not rated. In German, French, Italian, English and Persian, with subtitles. Running time: 2 hours 7 minutes. In theaters.
