The Round Number

Six million is the number that represents the holocaust, But is it the real number?

A historical journey across the 20th century examining how the figure of six million became established and sanctified as the symbol of the Holocaust. The attempt to decipher the origins of this mythic number takes the narrative far beyond statistics, into profound questions of history and identity, revealing the very essence of Jewish existence:To ask questions, to learn, to understand, and to know.
Is the number six million an icon permanently etched into our consciousness beyond question, never to be touched—or is examining and seeking to decode it the only true way to protect it, today and for the future? Prof. Hanna Yablonka, one of the film's participants, observes: "Where Israeli society placed exclamation marks, you bent the exclamation marks and turned them into question marks... Where your film ends, the public discussion and discourse will begin."

From the Reviews

"The desire and need for precision aligns Fisher’s film with other works that addressed the role procedural rigor plays in shaping the history and memory of the Holocaust—foremost among them the masterful films of Claude Lanzmann."
— Uri Klein, Haaretz

"Fisher pricks the balloon of Holocaust deniers, demonstrating that it doesn’t truly matter exactly how many Jews were murdered by the Nazis—and that we can openly discuss this number and its present-day implications... Indeed, a debate around the numbers may lead us to new insights and a healthier discourse."
— Guy Leiba, Yedioth Ahronoth, Jan 17, 2022

"Fisher’s beautiful film reiterates that the political is also personal, and that beyond historical research lies the traumatic experience of growing up in the shadow of the living-dead, whom cold mathematical calculation excluded from the tally of victims. In this respect, 'The Round Number' is a thought-provoking, even modestly provocative film about a pain that refuses to subside, about historical truth, and about the secularization of the sacred."
— Shmulik Duvdevani, Ynet

"Six million, as Hadag Nahash sang, is the most charged number there is, one that brings everyone to attention. But who decided that precisely six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust? David Fisher’s film—himself the son of Holocaust survivors—dares to pursue the answer, delivering an experience that is thought-provoking, moving, and even entertaining."
— Avner Shavit, Walla!

"Fisher uses the quest to investigate the number as a vehicle to explore the historical tragedy in greater depth... A thought-provoking film."
— Hannah Brown, The Jerusalem Post

"The clever use of absurd and 'lighter' scenes and situations... makes viewing not only thought-provoking and educational, but also engaging and enjoyable."
— Gadi Rimer, Off-Screen.com

"In his signature personal style, David Fisher offers a fascinating look at a subject that could easily have become a cliché, but in the hands of this filmmaker becomes surprisingly captivating and relevant."
— Amy Kronish, Israel Film Blog

"Israeli historians at times expose... a manipulative use of history for ephemeral propaganda gains... Contrasting with the veteran generation, the new Holocaust historians stand out, their allegiance to documents and firsthand testimonies surpassing any automatic commitment to Zionist ideology and its modes of application..."
— Meir Schnitzer, Maariv

"This viewer (pointing to himself) you managed to both captivate and unsettle—and that is precisely what a work of art should do."
— Kobi Meidan, Culture Agent, Kan 11, Jan 7, 2022

"'The Round Number' paints a picture making it clear that history is not mathematics, and that considerable political and other considerations shape how it is formed."
— Nirit Anderman, "Gallery" – Haaretz, Jan 13, 2022

"Even after 70 years... when we were certain we had seen everything and knew all there was to know, one can still uncover hidden corners yet to be explored and filmed in a subject as prevalent as the Holocaust—especially if one dares to ask the questions no one dared to ask until now."
— Guy Urbaniak, EDB, Jan 17, 2022

Reactions

"A challenging film... Contrary to concerns, this is not a film that will aid Holocaust deniers, nor is it a political film."

— Ben-Dror Yemini, "Yedioth Ahronoth

"A brilliant film!!... The message is powerful, the film is wonderful... such a strong, and important film."

— Dr. Judy Baumel-Schwartz, Head of the Arnold and Leona Finkler Institute of Holocaust Research, Bar-Ilan University

"The film is exceptionally well made, and I cannot stop thinking about it and asking myself 'how did I never think of this before."

— Prof. Dan Laor, Professor of Hebrew Literature

"A film that shakes the foundations of Holocaust remembrance, challenges superficial conventions, sparks debates and painful questions, and presents surprising testimonies, especially that of Yosef Fisher. Go see it..."

— Dr. Yigal Bin-Nun

"A very interesting film, excellently made."

— Prof. Yaacov Shavit, Historian

"Very impressive. Very interesting. Excellently crafted."

— Motti Lerner, Playwright

This is an important and interesting project, because in raising questions about the origin of the number and its significance, you raise questions about what it means to write history. It is a film about the impossibility of comprehending such a historical event and about our attempts to grapple with it... I love your film. It doesn’t try to be politically correct, it breaks conventions, and at the same time it is powerfully moving.

— Errol Morris, Executive Producer – USA