Schindler’s List (1993) — The Witness

Schindler’s List was the film Steven Spielberg spent years avoiding because he feared he was not ready to make it. The result became one of the most important historical dramas ever filmed and transformed Spielberg’s reputation as an artist. In this episode of Spielberg Reloaded, we examine the true story of Oskar Schindler, the Holocaust, and Spielberg’s deeply personal connection to Jewish history. We discuss Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, black-and-white cinematography, filming in Poland, the emotional toll production took on Spielberg, and how Schindler’s List reshaped Holocaust education and historical filmmaking for generations.

A.I. was used to help with narration and creative elements of our scripts.