Watch No Asylum: The Untold Chapter Of Anne Frank's Story

No Asylum: The Untold Chapter Of Anne Frank's Story is a gripping 2015 documentary film that delves into the lesser-known aspects of Anne Frank's tragic life story. Directed by Paula Fouce, the film features insightful interviews with key people from Anne Frank's past and present, along with never-before-seen archival footage. At the heart of the story is the lesser-known tale of Otto Frank's attempts to seek asylum in the United States for his family before the Holocaust broke out. In 1941, Otto Frank wrote an urgent letter to the US State Department, seeking permission to relocate his family from Amsterdam to America. While the Franks had already begun making preparations to leave the Netherlands, they needed a formal visa from the US government to be able to travel there legally.

However, as the film shows, the US government's response was far from satisfactory. At that time, the US was not willing to provide visas to refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied territories, citing concerns over national security. In fact, the US government even disregarded pleas made by several influential people, including former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, to grant the Frank family a visa.

As a result, the Franks were left with no choice but to go into hiding in Amsterdam's 'Secret Annex,' a small attic space above Otto Frank's office, for two years. While in hiding, Anne Frank's iconic diary captured her everyday experiences and innermost thoughts are weaved into the film.

The documentary explores the role of the US government in denying asylum to the Franks, and how it effectively sealed their fate. It also reveals some of the possible reasons why the US government was not sympathetic to refugees, including concerns about Jewish immigrants destabilizing the American economy and political landscape.

Through powerful interviews with Otto Frank's close friends and family, the film exposes the heartbreaking events that led to the eventual discovery and capture of Anne Frank and her family by the Nazis. It also touches on the tragic fate of many other Jewish refugees who were denied asylum by the US and ended up being sent to concentration camps.

No Asylum: The Untold Chapter Of Anne Frank's Story features an impressive lineup of experts on Anne Frank's life and legacy, including Buddy Elias, Anne Frank's cousin and the last remaining relative from her father's side; Eva Schloss, Anne Frank's best friend and survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp; and Leonard Berney, a prominent Holocaust scholar.

The film's haunting musical score, composed by Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, adds to the emotional intensity of the narrative. The cinematography, which includes aerial shots of Amsterdam and the United States, effectively alternates between past and present, creating a sense of contrast between the horrors of Nazi-occupied Europe and the modern world.

Overall, No Asylum: The Untold Chapter Of Anne Frank's Story is a thought-provoking and deeply moving film that sheds light on an important aspect of Anne Frank's life that has seldom been explored. Through its meticulous research and expert interviews, the film offers a fresh perspective on the tragic fate of Anne Frank and her family, and the larger issue of refugees seeking asylum in the US at that time. This documentary serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers of discrimination and bigotry, and the importance of providing refuge to those in need.

No Asylum: The Untold Chapter Of Anne Frank's Story is a 2015 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 13 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.0.