Dialogues with Elie Wiesel & Richard D. Heffner

Nobel Prize-winner and noted author Elie Wiesel's experiences during the Holocaust, as well as his thoughtful reflections on the human condition overall, have made him a significant modern voice of moral authority. In this series of 10 half-hour conversations with Richard D. Heffner—host of the PBS series The Open Mind—Wiesel expresses his views on a wide variety of contemporary issues, including the dangers of nationalism, capital punishment, the role of religion in politics, genetic engineering, euthanasia, and the balance between individual freedom and the power of the state. Wiesel's opinions are always insightful, but his words take on special resonance when he speaks of matters that relate to his own experiences, such as the responsibility of each individual toward fellow humans, the meaning of the Holocaust, and the redemptive power of memory. And it's impossible not to be moved when Wiesel speaks as a survivor of the Nazi genocide, particularly when he reads a passage dealing with the death of his father from Night, his acclaimed memoir of life in the concentration camps. Throughout, however, what's striking is Wiesel's emphasis on the moral dimension of the subjects discussed, as well as the civility, humility, and quiet eloquence with which he presents his ideas. A technically modest production, with the two men simply seated at a table, this thought-provoking discussion should give viewers much to consider. DVD extras include text biographies of Wiesel and Heffner. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)