Rachel Weisz's Holocaust Historian Meets Her Archnemesis in a Clip from 'Denial' (Exclusive)

Kevin Polowy
·Senior Correspondent, Yahoo Entertainment

Astounding as it is, there are people in this world who deny the existence of the Holocaust. The single most famous — or rather, infamous — of this rare breed is David Irving, a discredited British “historian” and author of such books as Hitler’s War and Goebbels: Mastermind of the Third Reich.

In the new drama Denial, Irving is perfectly portrayed like a sorcerer straight out of Slytherin by Harry Potter actor Timothy Spall. The film, directed by Mick Jackson (The Bodyguard), follows the libel suit Irving brings against the story’s heroine, American author Deborah Lipstadt (Constant Gardner Oscar winner Rachel Weisz), a flashpoint in the study of Holocaust history. “What if we lose, suddenly it becomes acceptable to say the Holocaust didn’t happen?” Lipstadt worries at one point in the film.

Related: 13 Oscar Contenders That Emerged Out of Festivals in Venice, Telluride, and Toronto

In the exclusive clip above, Lipstadt is confronted for the first time by Irving while she holds a lecture. Is your skin crawling yet?

Written by David Hare (The Reader), Denial also stars Tom Wilkinson and Andrew Scott. After making its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the drama is now playing in select cities.

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