Is this a true story?

It is 'based on a true story,' specifically the life of Dr. Baruch Milch. While some dramatic liberties are taken for the film, the core conflict regarding the father's wartime diary and the sisters' discovery of it is grounded in reality.

How much of the movie is in English?

It's a mix. There is a significant amount of English, but you will definitely need subtitles for the Hebrew, Polish, and German sections to follow the plot.

Is there graphic violence?

No, the film is largely a psychological and historical mystery. The 'violence' is discussed and described through letters, diaries, and testimonies rather than being shown in graphic flashbacks.

Past Life – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Past Life

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2016

74%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Two sisters dig into their father's hidden WWII past in this tense Israeli mystery about the secrets families keep and the trauma they inherit.

78%

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Past Life

movie

NR, 2016

74%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Two sisters dig into their father's hidden WWII past in this tense Israeli mystery about the secrets families keep and the trauma they inherit.

78%

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78%

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Screenwise Verdict

Past Life is a smart, somber mystery that works best for families who don't mind a bit of a history lesson served with their drama. It isn't a 'fun' watch, but it is a meaningful one. It captures that specific 1970s Israeli atmosphere perfectly and asks some really tough questions about whether we owe it to the past to uncover every ugly truth.

For a teenager interested in history or family psychology, this is a great pick. It avoids the typical 'history book' cliches by focusing on the people left to pick up the pieces decades later. Just don't expect a tidy, happy ending where everything is forgiven and forgotten.

Age Fit

Best for 14 and up. The maturity required here isn't about avoiding 'bad words' or gore—it's about being able to sit with the heavy, complex legacy of the Holocaust and the moral gray areas of survival.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The core of the movie is the bond between two sisters, but the themes are heavy with historical trauma and family secrets that are the opposite of lighthearted.

Imaginative

It’s a historical mystery that encourages viewers to think about how we piece together the past, though it stays firmly rooted in realistic drama.

Safe

Safe from a 'surprising content' perspective for older teens, but it deals with the Holocaust and wartime atrocities. It’s emotionally intense rather than physically graphic.

Enriching

Excellent for historical context and understanding the 'second generation' experience of Holocaust survivors. It deals with complex ethics and the burden of truth.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Historical investigation that feels like a detective story but carries the weight of real human history.
Complex sister dynamics provide a grounded emotional anchor while they navigate their father's potentially dark past.
Thoughtful exploration of the 'second generation' perspective—how the children of survivors carry the scars of events they never lived through.
Multi-lingual realism makes the setting (1977 Israel and Europe) feel authentic and immersive.

⚠

What to Watch For

The movie centers on Holocaust trauma, including accusations of wartime murder, which can be emotionally draining for sensitive viewers.
It is a slow-burn drama; if your teen is looking for an action-packed thriller, they’ll likely find the pacing frustrating.
Be prepared for subtitles, as the film jumps between Hebrew, English, Polish, and German.

Conversation Starters

"Do you think the sisters were right to dig into their father's past, even if it caused him pain?"
"How do the secrets of one generation affect the lives of the next?"
"Is there a difference between what someone does to survive a war and who they are in 'real' life?"
"Why do you think the father kept his history a secret for so long?"

Deep Dive

Directed by Avi Nesher, Past Life is inspired by the real-life story of Dr. Baruch Milch and his daughters. Set in 1977, it follows Nana, a cynical journalist, and Sephi, a classical music student, as they investigate a woman's claim that their father was a murderer during the war in Poland.

The burden of the 'Second Generation'

The film is a standout example of 'second generation' cinema. It isn't about the camps themselves, but about the living rooms in Israel thirty years later, where the silence was often as loud as the trauma. It portrays the sisters not just as daughters, but as individuals trying to form their own identities while being tethered to a history they don't fully understand.

A multi-layered mystery

What makes the movie work is the contrast between the two sisters. One is a firebrand looking for the 'truth' at any cost, while the other is more cautious, worried about what that truth will do to their family. This tension drives the plot forward even when the pacing slows down for musical performances or archival research. It’s a film that respects the viewer's intelligence, refusing to give easy answers to the impossible choices people made during the Holocaust.

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