There are many documentaries and fictionalized films about the Holocaust, but there is always a new angle that can be explored within this horrifying and significant topic. An Open Door is about a little-known subject, the plight of Jews in the Philippines before and during World War II.
President Manuel Quezon was determined to help make the Philippines a safe haven for Jewish refugees from Europe, and there was a small established Jewish community already in place, largely immigrant business families. Quezon worked in cooperation with the United States High Commissioner Paul V. McNutt to open up the nation to a segment of the Jewish population that was in dire danger. Quezon felt strongly about this and also took on critics’ arguments.
The first half of the film does cover familiar territory, with Central European Jews recounting the rising horrors of the Nazi regime. Along with footage and interviews of refugees, we hear about their plight. The shift to the Philippines is rather interesting, and the stories of how the Jewish refugees adapted to their new homes are heartening.
We also learn about how conditions deteriorated when the Japanese took control of this island nation, yet we realize that in many ways, the living conditions for these Jews were still much better than for those who endured concentration and death camps, forced labor, and life on the run or in hiding. The film also discusses the harsh final years of World War II and its impact on the Philippines, a sub-topic that is lesser known than that of Europe and Japan.
Although the educational documentary could use some tightening up in the first half, it is interesting and compelling. It would be appropriate in academic libraries for high school and college courses in history, as well as a public screening at a library with a post-show discussion. Educators should consider this title for their classrooms, especially as a comparison to other films and stories about the Holocaust.
While there are descriptions of harsh living conditions and brutality, it is not a graphic film and there is no “inappropriate language." There are even some poignant anecdotes that make the film and subject rather compelling.
This documentary derives its name from the Israeli “Open Doors” memorial sculpture in Rishon LeZion by a Filipino artist, which commemorates this humanitarian set of deeds that saved over 1,200 Jews from the Nazis. Watch this film and learn about this lesser-known chapter. It is a humbling and moving story, and intriguing. Discussion can follow, comparing it to other films about the Holocaust.