When the students of a tennessee middle school began studying the holocaust nobody could have predicted the results. The children started collecting paper clips to help visualize the vast number of victims and their efforts culminated in a unique memorial that changed the lives of everyone involved. Studio: Arts Alliance America Release Date: 08/14/2007 Run time: 84 minutes
Paper Clips is an inspiring 2004 documentary about a consciousness-raising project that blossomed into something beautiful at a rural Tennessee school. When the principal of Whitwell Middle School sought a program that would teach diversity to a predominantly white, Protestant student body, the notion of focusing on the Holocaust--specifically Hitler's extermination of six million Jews--seemed like an obvious way to go. But understanding what "six million" looks like became a challenge. Thus was born the idea of collecting that number of paper clips at Whitwell as a visual reference.
But then it turned out paper clips actually have, in historical terms, symbolic value where the Holocaust is concerned. In this moving film, one sees Whitwell students dig into research on Germany's genocidal campaign, solicit clips from a variety of leaders and celebrities, and make a name for themselves on the national news. In time, the world comes to Whitwell's doorstep, via unsolicited donations of clips from people around the world, and in a tearful meeting of students and Holocaust survivors. The dimensions of the project, the lessons about prejudice and intolerance, are stunning to watch grow beyond anyone's wildest expectations. This is a great film for families and classrooms to watch together. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Wow!:
I was so very impressed with the story of the young students in Tennessee who started out trying to illustrate the concept of what 6 million might look like and ended up touching lives around the world. This is an incredible story of a lesson in tolerance that changed a town forever. I purchased the DVD and the book and highly recommend both!
A moving documentary worth your viewing time.:
Paper Clips is a documentary which portrays the efforts of a school principal in Tennessee who teaches her students diversity in a nearly all-white region. She organizes an effort to collect 6 million paper clips, each one representing a Jewish victim of the Holocaust. The film follows the students of this school through several years of accomplishment and their ability to achieve and ultimately surpass this goal. The documentary is definitely produced on a shoe-string budget, and there is very little... more info
Excellent Documentary:
This document does an extraordinary job of showing how young people can bridge across generations and cultures to appreciate the enormity of historical events and apply the lessons to daily life. It also gives hope and confidence in the youth of today, and recognizes the positive influence dedicated educators can have on their charges.
EXCELLENT:
Great product...............very educational; it arrived in a timely fashion and I would use this seller again
