Nathan-ism

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1:36

Nathan-ism

Released Nov 15, 2024

2h 19m

Documentary

Biography

History

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Popcornmeter

88%

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17 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

At the end of World War II, Nathan Hilu, the son of Syrian Jewish immigrants to New York, received a life-changing assignment from the U.S. Army: to guard the top Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg trials. This experience fueled a lifetime of artistic inspiration for Nathan, a virtually unknown "outsider artist", who spent the next 70 years obsessively creating a visual narrative from his memories. But what happens when those memories take on a life of their own? "Nathan-ism" explores Nathan's relationship with his own stories, and the compulsion he has to share them with a world that doesn't always listen.

Sarah Vincent

Sarah G Vincent Views

“Nathan-ism” misses out on truly analyzing and showcasing his work. It is almost as if people value Hilu and his story more than the art, which is fair because he lived during memorable times.

Nov 16, 2024

Full Review

Avi Offer

NYC Movie Guru

Mildly engaging and occasionally provocative, but myopic and incomplete.

Nov 12, 2024

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Peter Keough

Arts Fuse

For many veterans, the time they spent in the military was the most memorable of their lives. This is especially true for Nathan Hilu, subject of Elan Golod’s subtle, nuanced, and affecting Nathan-ism.

Nov 11, 2024

Full Review

Victor Pineyro

Seventh Art Studio

"Nathan-ism" is a work about memory, about the fear of disappearing and an artist's superhuman effort to get himself inserted in the collective memory of human history. For moments it lacks stakes, but Hilu ends up seducing you. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

May 14, 2024

Full Review

Federico Furzan

Movie-Blogger.com

Nathan-ism is a great exploration of an artist who dared to speak out loud about the monsters of war, all through the very special art he made.

Feb 9, 2024

Full Review

Stephen Silver

The SS Ben Hecht

Ultimately concludes that it’s more about the unreliability of memory than actual dishonesty

Rated: 4/5

Nov 17, 2023

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Larissa

A beautiful personal story about an extraordinary man that brings up questions about truth, memory, and WWII history. As a student who studied in Nuremberg, this was incredible. Really makes you think, and the cinematic elements are so calming.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/16/24

Full Review

Li M

"Nathan-ism" is a deeply human story that stayed with me long after watching. The beautiful cinematography—with calming shots and soft colors—perfectly balances Nathan Hilu's chaotic drawings, drawing me into his world. While it covers heavy topics like the Nuremberg trials, it explores universal themes of memory and understanding one's past. The film builds suspense masterfully, and the ending prompts deep reflection on truth and the human psyche. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a deeply moving documentary

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/20/24

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Elan Golod

Director

Nathan Hilu

Self

Eli Rosenbaum

Self

Laura Krüger

Self

Jeannie Rosenfeld

Self

Megan Harris

Self

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Nathan-ism: Trailer 1

1:36

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Synopsis

At the end of World War II, Nathan Hilu, the son of Syrian Jewish immigrants to New York, received a life-changing assignment from the U.S. Army: to guard the top Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg trials. This experience fueled a lifetime of artistic inspiration for Nathan, a virtually unknown "outsider artist", who spent the next 70 years obsessively creating a visual narrative from his memories. But what happens when those memories take on a life of their own? "Nathan-ism" explores Nathan's relationship with his own stories, and the compulsion he has to share them with a world that doesn't always listen.

Director: Elan Golod
Producer: Melanie Vi Levy
Distributor: Outsider Pictures
Genre: Documentary, Biography, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 15, 2024, Limited
Runtime: 2h 19m