Je n’avais que le néant (All I Had Was Nothingness)
Documentary film by Guillaume Ribot and discussion (in French and German) with the director as part of the exhibition Claude Lanzmann. The Recordings
On the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp on January 27, 1945, the Jewish Museum Berlin is showing the documentary film Je n’avais que le néant (2025) by Guillaume Ribot to accompany the exhibition Claude Lanzmann. The Recordings.
Tue 27 Jan 2026, 7 pm
Where
W. M. Blumenthal Academy,
Klaus Mangold Auditorium
Fromet-und-Moses-Mendelssohn-Platz 1, 10969 Berlin
(Opposite the Museum)
Lanzmann spent twelve years producing Shoah (1985), a groundbreaking work that took a fundamentally new approach to depicting the Holocaust in cinema. Four decades later, filmmaker Guillaume Ribot delves into over 220 hours of unpublished footage from Shoah. In an effort to capture the reality of the Holocaust, Lanzmann conducted interviews with victims, witnesses, and perpetrators from around the world. He embarked on an unprecedented journey that—including doubts, setbacks, and false leads—resulted in a milestone in film history.
Ribot uses only Lanzmann's own words, excerpts from his memoirs, and previously unseen footage to pay tribute to one of cinema's masterpieces and the director's tireless quest to tell untold stories.
Following the film, there will be a discussion with director Guillaume Ribot and Christoph Hesse from the Leibniz Center for Literary and Cultural Research (in French and German).
Courtesy of MK2films.
In cooperation with the French Embassy in Germany
Exhibition Claude Lanzmann: The Recordings: Features & Programs
Exhibition Webpage
Claude Lanzmann: The Recordings: 28 Nov 2025 to 12 Apr 2026
Accompanying Events & Tours
Exhibition opening, public tours, screenings, JMB book club and other events related to the exhibition: find all dates in our calendar
Conference
- The Sound of History. Claude Lanzmann’s Preparation for Shoah: conference from 9 to 10 Feb 2026
- The Making of von Claude Lanzmann’s Film Shoah: public evening event as part of the conference with Corinna Coulmas and Irena Steinfeldt-Levy, 9 February 2026, 7.30 pm
Offerings for Groups
- Bookable workshop for groups and school classes: by appointment
- Bookable tour for groups and school classes: by appointment
See also
- Claude Lanzmann, Filmmaker and Journalist
- Shoah (1985) by Claude Lanzmann
- The Lanzmann Collection: Projects to catalog, preserver, and share the legacy of the audio cassettes from this holding of the Jewish Museum Berlin
- The Lanzmann Collection on the Oral-History.Digital (OH.D) online platform: by the end of 2027, all audio recordings from the Lanzmann Collection will be available on OH.D (registration required)
