INPUT / … / … / Don't Know Much About History Telling Old Stories in a New Way

The shadow of World War II never leaves the public broadcaster. There are new takes on old stories but mostly we just want younger viewers to be interested in history. And it is quite a challenge with their short attention span, their allergy to being lectured and the temptation to do all those other things. So how do we adapt without trivializing the sacred? One way is to stylize the stories – make them more digestible with a hip host, quick pacing and a very specific narrative. Another is to tell them through fiction – by manipulating emotions through all the ambiguities that WWII brought into people's lives. And, finally, by finding still new stories – through the archives and through those few remaining survivors – and telling them as if they were a traditional thriller. But whatever the style, what happens to the truth?