Night and Fog

film by Resnais [1956]

Also known as: “Nuit et brouillard”

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July 1, 2026

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Night and Fog (1956), directed by Alain Resnais, is a documentary that uses archival footage and contemporary images to examine the Nazi concentration camps and the question of responsibility for the Holocaust. The film combines graphic historical material with footage of the victims, prompting viewers to consider the profound meaning of these sites and the ethical implications of what occurred. Resnais, a prominent figure in the French New Wave, explored themes of human alienation and the darker aspects of humanity in his work.12

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Alain Resnais
…his documentary about concentration camps, Nuit et brouillard (1956; Night and Fog), with a commentary by a former inmate, the contemporary poet Jean Cayrol, stressed “the concentrationary beast slumbering within us all.” Le Chant du styrène (1959; “The Song of Styrene”), written by author and critic Raymond Queneau, nominally publicizing…
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…his documentary about concentration camps, Nuit et brouillard (1956; Night and Fog), with a commentary by a former inmate, the contemporary poet Jean Cayrol, stressed “the concentrationary beast slumbering within us all.” Le Chant du styrène (1959; “The Song of Styrene”), written by author and critic Raymond Queneau, nominally publicizing…
Read More