(Jewish Group) What happens if a Black non-Jewish woman plays Anne Frank?
Anne Frank is one of the most overthought Jewish figures out there, the subject of a wealth of articles and scholarship and memes. Her likeness and story are used as symbols of the Holocaust, the oppressed, refugees and human atrocity, and simultaneously as evidence for an abiding belief in the goodness of humanity, and the plight of both Israelis and Palestinians — the diary of a specific little girl has become entirely universalist and mutable. “Who owns Anne Frank?” asked Cynthia Ozick in 1997; today it’s an even harder question.
“Anne,” from filmmaker Adi Eshman and director Desiree Abeyta, confronts these questions head-on. Originally a short play by Eshman, the film is now premiering on the Jewish film festival circuit.
As the film begins, Lauren is preparing to audition for the role of Anne in the stage production of the diary. When she shows up, a Black woman, Mia, is exiting the audition room, and the two recognize each other.
When Lauren realizes they are both reading for Anne, she’s uncomfortable. “I just don’t know how I feel about you trying out for this play,” she tells Mia. “My grandmother was a survivor, and now as a Jewish American, I feel like it’s my responsibility to bring Anne’s story to the stage.”
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