‘The Zookeeper’s Wife’: 8 things to know

From Schindler’s List to The Pianist, there have been many films that tell the stories of people who lived during the Holocaust. The Zookeeper’s Wife is another such film that explores the dynamics of what it takes to be humane in the face of tragedy and war. Ahead of its release in the UAE on May 19, here are eight things you should know about the movie.

1. It is based on a true story

The movie is based on Diane Ackerman’s non-fiction book of the same name. The book draws from the unpublished diaries of Antonina Zabinska and recounts incidents from her life during the Second World War. It tells the story of her and her husband, Jan Zabinski’s involvement with the Polish Underground Resistance and how they saved the lives of 300 Jews by sheltering them in the Warsaw Zoo.

2. Antonina and Jan were recognised for their efforts

On September 21, 1965, Antonina and Jan were recognised by Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to Jewish victims of the Holocaust, as Righteous to the Nations. This honour is bestowed upon non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from being exterminated by the Nazis.

3. It is a female-driven movie

The director Niki Caro’s vision for the film was to tell the story from a feminine point of view, focusing on Antonina’s instinct to protect the guests and their spirit. The fact that it is a female-driven drama taking place during the Holocaust is one of many things that make it different from other films set during this period.

4. The film had a committed cast

Jessica Chastain, who plays the lead role of Antonina, signed on to be a part of the film in 2013. She eventually became the executive producer of the film. As part of her research of the period and her character, who was a classically trained pianist, Chastain visited the Warsaw Zoo and also received piano lessons for two months before filming began, continuing thereafter.

5. A socially-conscious director

The director of the film, Niki Caro, has previously worked on other films that tell the stories of communities whose voices need to be heard. Her second feature film, Whale Rider, looked into the Maori community of Whangara on New Zealand’s East Coast. Following the theme of female-centered movies, Caro will also be directing the live-action adaptation of the classic animation Mulan.

6. The production team worked closely with the family

Before deciding to take on the project, producer Jeff Abberley had two conditions, one of which was that they had to work in close collaboration with the children of the couple, Teresa and Rhyszard. Teresa even visited the set and spoke with the actors and filmmakers. She is known to have advised Chastain about how to play her mother, from her empathetic nature to the way she liked to dress.

7. Real animals were used in the film

The film had a huge animal cast including cats, lions, horses, pigs and many others. Except for scenes that depicted them in dangerous situations, most of the animals displayed on the screen were real and not created using CGI. The animals were recruited from professional handlers, as well as private owners, who ensured they were being supervised.

8. The film is already being celebrated

At the 2016 Heartland Film Festival, The Zookeeper’s Wife was awarded the Truly Moving Picture Award. The film also won the Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2017 Seattle Jewish Film Festival. In April, it was nominated by the Political Film Society USA for its PFS award in the Human Rights category.

Don’t miss it!

The Zookeeper’s Wife releases in the UAE on May 18.

— Anieka Sequeira is an intern at Gulf News.