A strong symbol of innocence and horror
In a predominantly black and white film, Steven Spielberg’s decision to introduce the color red on a little girl’s coat is no small matter. This child, seen during the liquidation of the Krakow ghetto, embodies innocence in the midst of chaos and barbarism.
His red coat catches the attention of Oskar Schindler, played by Liam Neeson, and symbolizes the moment he fully realizes the horror of the Holocaust. Spielberg explains that this little girl represents the fact that the Holocaust took place in a world that knew of its existence and yet did nothing to prevent it. Nobody bombed the German railways on which the convoys headed to the concentration camps passed. Nobody bombed the crematoria. It is obvious, she attracts everyone’s attention with her red coat, yet no one seems to notice her, she advances in general indifference.
A figure inspired by reality
The Little Girl in Red is inspired by a true story, that of Roma Ligocka, a Holocaust survivor. Unlike the character in the film, Roma survived Nazi persecution and told her story in an autobiographical book, The little girl in the red coatpublished in 2002. Watching Spielberg’s film, she was shocked to recognize herself in this character, who made her relive the traumas of her childhood spent hidden in the Krakow ghetto.
In Schindler’s Listthe little girl in the red dress is played by Oliwia Dąbrowska, who was only three years old at the time of filming. Spielberg asked her never to watch the film until she became an adult, believing it was too difficult for a child. Later, Oliwia said she was deeply moved by seeing the scenes, understanding the historical impact of her role.
This visual element also has a strong narrative significance, as later in the film Schindler again sees the red coat on a corpse, accentuating the brutality of the fate of those he failed to save. This touching cinematic choice symbolizes one man’s irreparable loss of innocence and awareness of the horror of genocide.
Source: Cine Serie
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