Though the movie Schindler's List is mostly shot in black and white, the girl in the red coat is a notable exception to the cinematography scheme. The red of her coat stands out against the black and white film, emphasizing her presence. Oskar Schindler sees her walking down the street with the other Jews being rounded up, and then later, he sees her dead body about to be cremated. The sight of her body contributes to Schindler's turning point, where he decides to save as many intended for extermination as he can.

The girl in the red coat serves two major symbolic functions. Firstly, she represents the innocence of the Jews being slaughtered, and the red of her coat evokes bloodshed. Notably, she seems almost oblivious during the evacuation of the Jews, as though too innocent to understand; her death puts an end to this innocence. Secondly, she serves as a living indictment of those who knew the Jews were being killed in the camps and yet did nothing to stop it. Her obliviousness reflects ignorance as much as innocence, reflecting American and other foreign officials who knew the European Jews were being persecuted yet refused to lift a finger in aid. Schindler becomes an exception, moving to act once he sees how this innocent child has been killed.