It is suddenly serious season at the movies. The powerful, Oscar worthy film, THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS, arrives in theaters at an opportune time. Based upon an acclaimed novel by Irishman John Boyne, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas explores the horrors of Auschwitz with childlike wonder. It is driven by remarkable performances from two young actors, Asa Butterfield as Bruno and Jack Scanlon as Shmuel. As the son of a Nazi commandant, Bruno literally crosses the barbed wire that separates him from the imprisoned Shmuel. As Jesus crossed borders, so Bruno discovers that while barriers may divide us, bold sacrifices will unite us.

As we conclude a divisive American presidential election, the question remains, “How do we work together?” Can we embrace those we disagree with, “the Other,” as more than an enemy? French philosopher and Talmud scholar Emmanuel Levinas suggested:

I am responsible for the Other without waiting for reciprocity, were I to die for it. Reciprocity is their affair. It is precisely insofar as the relation between the Other and me is not reciprocal that I am in subjection to the Other; and I am “subject” essentially in this sense. It is I who support all…The I always has one responsibility more than all the others.

This Miramax production is all about empathy. Are we willing to literally step into the suffering of others? Do we stand behind the walls and fences we’ve built to insulate ourselves? Or are we willing to cross over regardless of the cost?

As co-director of Fuller Seminary’s Reel Spirituality Institute, I’ve written a study guide for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. This free, downloadable resource gives filmgoers helpful ways to integrate this bridge-building film into their ministry. The study guide connects to clips from key scenes in this haunting film. You can preview the film and download the study guide here.