Syndrome K movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Syndrome K movie review

This WWII documentary releases in select theaters in June and on TVOD/Digital platforms beginning on August 16^th, 2022 through Freestyle Digital Media.

RATING: NR

LENGTH: 1 hour 20 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: A

IN A NUTSHELL:

“Syndrome K” is the second documentary film from filmmaker Stephen Edwards’ (acclaimed composer of “Requiem for My Mother”, and musical contributor to award-winning films such as “Nomadland”, and “Dallas Buyer’s Club”).

“Syndrome K” is the true story about a highly contagious, highly fictitious disease created by three Roman Catholic doctors – Adriano Ossicini, Giovanni Borromeo, & Vittorio Sacradoti, during the Holocaust to hide Jews from Occupying Nazis in a Vatican-affiliated hospital during World War II. When over 1,000 Jews from the Jewish Ghetto in Rome were deported to Auschwitz on 16 October 1943, many other Jews sought refuge in the Fatebenefratelli Hospital, directly across the Tiber River from the Ghetto, and Syndrome K became a way to save them.

THINGS I LIKED:

It was really great to hear Ray Liotta’s voice as the narrator one last time. He unexpectedly passed away in his sleep just recently on May 26, 2022.
Despite the somber topic of the Holocaust during World War II, this fascinating documentary presents an energetic telling and leaves you feeling hopeful and inspired. Powerful and impactful documentaries are those that speak about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, “Syndrome K” is one of those documentaries.
The film utilizes incredible footage and photos of the time, as well as interviews, reenactments, and even animation.
I absolutely adore Italy and have been there several times. I loved seeing the old and current photos of the amazing city.
The film is incredibly engaging due to the topic but especially because of the quick scene changes and visual effects. It never felt like a boring documentary at all, and the time flew by very fast!
How perfectly symbolic that the name of the hospital where all of this took place was called the Fatebenefratelli, which means “do good to your fellow man.”

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Nothing! It was very well done!

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will probably be bored.
You see bloodied, dead bodies on the ground
A picture shows a dead woman who hung herself

THEMES:

Jews
World War II heroes
WWII heroes
Mysterious diseases
Courage
Brave doctors
Quick-thinking
Helping others

FUNNY LINES:

None. This is a serious topic. One of the men interviewed said, ‘I remember there was a time in my home home, there was no laughter. None. Not only were we starving to death, there was no joy.”

INTERESTING LINES:

* “Life is beautiful. If you live life with honesty and bravery, those are fundamental values and, if you’re lucky and you have a wife that you love and you love your kids, that makes it even better.” – Dr. Adriano Ossicini (who died in 2019 just shy of 100 years old!)