Nathan-ism on Holocaust @Hot Docs 2023

With the rise of antisemitism and Holocaust denial, films that focus on or are related to this event are considered cash grabs. This is certainly not the case for director Elan Golod who took an 8-year-long journey to document a man who lived during those times. Nathan-ism is the title given to the documentary film which recently screened at Hot Docs in Toronto. Born under Syrian-Jewish parents, Nathan Hilu has so much to offer when it comes to sharing his stories.

The “Outsider Artist’s” work has been curated in Art Basel Miami and Vienna Biennale. As well a handful of shows in his home state of New York. His art is based on much of his Yiddish memories which he draws up with markers, pastels and crayons. Nathan Hilu is a true-life sample of a person who was part of a significant time. With his memory serving him correctly, his artwork is not a figment of his imagination. Rather it is a manifestation that represents his story.

Nathan Hilu was a U.S. Army soldier who served as a prison guard during the Nuremberg trials. He made sure the likes of Albert Speer, Hermann Goering and Julius Streicher were not doing anything funny behind bars. Funny enough these guys he was guarding were the ones who wanted to kill people like Nathan Hilu during the Holocaust.

These were moments Nathan would conjure up in his art. He formed an interesting relationship with these prominent people of the Nazi empire. This part of Nathan’s life was not only life-changing but would serve his purpose of informing others of his side of the story. Many did not listen to Nathan at first, but he finally gained notoriety in his late 80s and early 90s.

Drawing Himself

Nathan Hilu is an interesting man because he fanatically revisits this time with many of his pieces of art. But when he draws himself within these pieces, especially as a prison guard is where he stands out. He is trying to put light into something that is not to be dismissed let alone joke about. There is no doubt that many tears have been shed even to this day where millions perished during the Holocaust. But Nathan draws himself almost like a cartoon character in these pieces to make his work distinguishable and easier to handle. It may seem like a lot is going on in Nathan’s art but there’s a pattern and a method to his madness. Nevertheless, the message is getting out.

The audience becomes more sympathetic towards Nathan Hilu knowing that he is in the last chapter of his life. Even though he got profited through his art in this stage of his life, we can truly see that these times as a prison guard were of Nathan’s heyday. The artwork is the only manner in which Nathan can communicate with others as he perhaps looks at himself as a true recluse with not much to offer. But drawing up memories during his time as a prison guard tells us one thing. That it was the best of times and it was the worst of times for Nathan Hilu.

FERNTV spoke with director Elan Holod about the film Nathan-ism during Hot Docs.