Harvey Keitel and Melanie Lynskey in 'The Tattooist of Auschwitz'

‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ Trailer: Harvey Keitel Tells Melanie Lynskey a Love Story

Peacock has released a trailer for The Tattooist of Auschwitz, a new limited series based on the bestselling novel of the same name, starring Melanie Lynskey and Harvey Keitel.

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Based on the novel by Heather Morris and inspired by a true story, The Tattooist of Auschwitz stars Harvey Keitel as Lali Sokolov, an elderly man who survived the Holocaust, during which he was forced to work as a tattooist in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Lynskey stars as Morris (or a fictionalized version of the author), whom Lali befriends and asks to write about his remarkable story: while imprisoned by the Nazi regime, Lali met and fell in love with a young woman named Gita. What follows is a harrowing story of love and survival amidst unconscionable horror.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz also stars Jonah Hauer-King (The Little Mermaid) as young Lali, Anna Próchniak as Gita, and Jonas Nay as Nazi officer Baretzki.

Here’s the official plot synopsis from Peacock:

The Tattooist of Auschwitz is an event series inspired by the real-life story of Jewish Holocaust survivors Lali and Gita Sokolov. Lali (Jonah Hauer-King) arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1942, and shortly after arrival, he was made one of the tätowierer (tattooists), charged to ink identification numbers onto fellow prisoners’ arms. One day, he meets Gita (Anna Próchniak) when tattooing her prisoner number on her arm. They experience love at first sight, and so begins a courageous, unforgettable, and human story. Under constant guard from a volatile Nazi SS officer Baretzki (Jonas Nay), Lali and Gita became determined to keep each other alive.

Around 60 years later, Lali (Harvey Keitel) meets novice writer Heather Morris (Melanie Lynskey). Recently widowed, Lali finds the courage to tell the world his story. In recounting his story to Heather, Lali, in his 80s, faces the traumatic ghosts of his youth and relives his memories of falling in love in the most horrific of places.

Peacock will release all six episodes of The Tattooist of Auschwitz on May 2.

(featured image: Peacock)


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Britt Hayes
Britt Hayes (she/her) is an editor, writer, and recovering film critic with over a decade of experience. She has written for The A.V. Club, Birth.Movies.Death, and The Austin Chronicle, and is the former associate editor for ScreenCrush. Britt's work has also been published in Fangoria, TV Guide, and SXSWorld Magazine. She loves film, horror, exhaustively analyzing a theme, and casually dissociating. Her brain is a cursed tomb of pop culture knowledge.