Rosenthal: The Great Showman

Based on a true story: Germany’s most popular TV presenter in the 1970s must face his traumatic past—and that of the whole country. Germany, 1978. Hans Rosenthal is the country’s most popular TV presenter, and, what few people know: he is Jewish and a Holocaust survivor. The 75th edition of his beloved live game show is about to be broadcast, but the celebratory mood is dampened by the air date: November 9. Exactly 40 years after the Nazi pogrom against the Jewish population, Hans is expected to entertain and distract an audience of millions with his harmless TV show, rather than attend the first official German memorial for the victims. Hans finds himself in a dilemma: has the Jewish showman become himself a henchman of repression? Or will he find the strength to address his family trauma?

WHY WE LIKE THIS FILM: A remarkable, tense, and deeply moving examination of national guilt, media responsibility, and personal trauma. Enriched by intimate insights from Hans Rosenthal’s own children, the film uncovers a little-known chapter in the beloved entertainer’s life—sharply contrasting his jovial television persona with the profound secrecy of his Holocaust survival. It sheds light on a rarely depicted era in Jewish cinema, offering a powerful narrative based on true events.

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Showtimes

In-Person

Nov 16

7:30 PM — Evans Performance Center at Shalom Austin

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