A Jewish teenager hiding from the Nazis. . . .
Join us to view and discuss the new MASTERPIECE Classic presentation of “the most accurate-ever adaptation” of The Diary of Anne Frank, premiering April 11, 2010, on PBS.
As outreach partner for WGBH, the Great Books Foundation is proud to collaborate with our partner organizations and corporations to promote the viewing, reading, and discussion of one of the world’s most inspiring memoirs.
Get Involved
Download resources for the classroom, join us for a Chicago screening of the first hour of the film, participate in an “Open Call” for your own unique video diaries hosted by WGBH, or post your replies to discussion questions about the book.
Chicago Screening
Join us at a FREE public screening of the first hour of the film, with a panel discussion, on April 1, 2010, 6–8 p.m. at the Harold Washington Library Center Cindy Pritzker Auditorium. Panelists include Dr. Phyllis Lassner, professor of Jewish Studies at Northwestern University, and Rebecca Eaton, executive producer of MASTERPIECE. This event is cosponsored by WTTW11 Chicago, the Chicago Public Library, the Great Books Foundation, and WGBH Boston.
This event is free but seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Join the Conversation
- Reply to a Discussion Question on VoiceThread
Why does Anne remain happy and optimistic despite all she goes through? Why does writing in her diary help her bring out the hidden self buried deep in her heart? Visit VoiceThread to post your replies—then visit again for new questions.
Featured Partner: VoiceThread
An emerging collaborative platform that is changing the way students and educators work together in a flat world, VoiceThread is a discussion tool that elevates the voices, ideas, and projects of students as they connect to a network of global learners. Ranked as one of the “Best Websites for Teaching and Learning” by the American Association of School Librarians.
Answer the Open Call
The MASTERPIECE Video Diary Open Call, funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, is asking media makers who are at least 13 years old to document their thoughts on self-expression and tolerance. Your short videos, audio segments, or images may be selected for airing on MASTERPIECE following the broadcast of Anne Frank on April 11. For details, visit MASTERPIECE.
About the Film
Newcomer Ellie Kendrick plays Anne. The cast also includes Iain Glen (Into the Storm) and Tamsin Greig (Shaun of the Dead) as Anne’s father and mother, Otto and Edith Frank. For this new adaptation, screenwriter Deborah Moggach received permission to use passages of the diaries previously excised by the family. To add to the film’s authenticity, the production team painstakingly re-created the annex where the Frank family lived for two years. The film is directed by Jon Jones and produced by Elinor Day.
Resources for Reading and Discussion
- Great Books Discussion Questions and Activities for The Diary of a Young Girl
- Britannica background articles on Voices of the Holocaust
- Teaching Novels: Shared Inquiry Workshops for Teachers
- What makes a Great Books interpretive question?
Discuss Diary of a Young Girl Online
- Share your ideas about one of the world's most inspiring memoirs.
Partners
Visit our partners for additional resources and news.
- Anti-Defamation League
- Archdiocese of Chicago
- Chicago Board of Rabbis
- Chicago Public Library
- Chicago Public Schools
- Community Foundation for Jewish Education
- Facing History and Ourselves
- Illinois Holocaust Museum
- Jewish Community Relations Council
- Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center
- Penguin Books
- Perfection Learning
- Puffin Books
- WGBH Boston
- WTTW11 Chicago
Also of Interest
- How could the Holocaust happen? Why should we remember? Readings for discussion.
