How The Tattooist of Auschwitz tells a love story against a backdrop of horror
Inspired by Heather Morris's international best-seller, The Tattooist of Auschwitz reveals a poignant love story, highlighting the enduring power of the human spirit.
In adapting The Tattooist of Auschwitz for television, the creators embarked on a deeply complex journey, aiming to transform Heather Morris's best-selling novel into a series that not only confronts the brutality of its historical setting but also captures the profound love story at its core.
Speaking about bringing Lali and Gita Sokolov's remarkable story to the screen, the series' executive producer, Claire Mundell, discussed the importance of focusing on Lali's individual experience within the vast horror of Auschwitz.
"As a producer, I'm drawn to stories based on real life," said Mundell. "It was clearly a very moving, emotional and epic story. And the idea of a love story set in Auschwitz was incredible; how could two people fall in love in one of the most notorious concentration camps?
"Lali's story spoke to me about our innate capacity for hope and survival. I hadn't seen such a story portrayed on screen before, certainly not for a mainstream global audience."
The series doesn't set out to present a comprehensive history of the Holocaust or Auschwitz itself but instead centres on the "deeply personal" story of Lali, a Slovakian Jew forced to tattoo identification numbers on his fellow prisoners.
It's through this lens that the series can navigate the broader historical context, ensuring the narrative remains anchored in the human experience amidst inhuman circumstances.
Mundell's vision was supported by the whole cast and crew too – from Harvey Keitel's portrayal of an older Lali grappling with his memories to Jonah Hauer-King's depiction of Lali in his younger years. Their preparation also involved rigorous research, including visits to Auschwitz, to immerse themselves fully in the characters' experiences and the historical reality of the setting.
Meanwhile, the inclusion of Heather Morris in the narrative, portrayed in the series by Melanie Lynskey, allows the show to reflect on the process of storytelling itself and highlights the therapeutic act of sharing one's darkest memories.
Lynskey called The Tattooist of Auschwitz "a reminder of how horrific the Holocaust was, but also an incredible story of survival and a beautiful love story", and it's through her portrayal we see the trust and rapport that developed between Morris and the real Lali, allowing him a means of confronting his past.
Elsewhere, the production design, led by Stevie Herbert, sought to recreate Auschwitz not just as a place of historical accuracy but as a living, breathing entity that bore witness to both unimaginable cruelty and the indomitability of the human spirit.
And then there are the costumes, with designer Ján Kocman sourcing original fabrics to accurately represent the prisoners' uniforms, and the haunting score co-composed by Hans Zimmer and Kara Talve, helping to bring together the series' emotional layers.
Faced with the challenge of portraying the love story between Lali and Gita against the horrifying backdrop of Auschwitz, director Tali Shalom-Ezer opted to focus on the interactions between the characters, allowing their love to shine as a beacon of hope in the darkest of times.
It's something Jacquelin Perske, the lead writer, was also keen to focus on, ensuring that the series remained true to the emotional honesty of Lali and Gita's story while respecting the historical setting.
"When I read the book, I was totally engaged with the extraordinariness of a love story taking place somewhere like Auschwitz. The fact that it was a real-life story made it even more appealing," Perske explained.
"It's about one of the most epic and horrendous events in European history and it's important that we never forget about it. It's also a beautiful love story about two people who find each other and survive in the darkest of places."
It's a delicate balance between depicting the brutal reality of Auschwitz and honouring the relationship at its heart but by focusing on Lali's deeply personal story, the series aimed to craft a drama that is both a tribute to the survivors and a stark reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust.
In doing so, the series not only brings Lali and Gita's story to a wider audience but also contributes to the ongoing conversation about memory, trauma, and the importance of remembering history's darkest chapters. The Tattooist of Auschwitz serves as a powerful reminder of the capacity for human kindness, love and resilience, even in the most harrowing of circumstances.
"Tonally – in terms of everything from lighting to music – we had to be clear that we are telling a love story in a place that is evil beyond your wildest imagination," said producer Mundell. "And that, I hope, encourages people to spread love instead of hate."
The Tattooist of Auschwitz is coming 2nd May to Sky Atlantic and NOW.
