In Son of Saul we follow Saul Auslander, a Hungarian-Jewish prisoner, for two of his days at the Auschwitz extermination camp. He is a member of a Sonderkommando in one of the crematoriums. He appears to have turned off his emotional reactions to everything he experiences – until he sees the body of a boy he believes to be his son. Then he does everything he can to give the boy a Jewish burial instead of allowing him to be cremated with the other bodies.
Nemes, the director, chose not to point the camera at the horrible acts and events. Instead they are shown in the background; we remain close to Saul and are able to understand him. There is also hope in this movie, as Saul finds a meaningful pursuit to help him endure unthinkable, oppressive circumstances. Son of Saul won four prizes at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, including the Grand Prix. As well, the movie has recently been nominated for an Oscar.