Which sentence does convey the meaning?

Hi teachers,

Could you tell me please which sentence sounds natural and convey the meaning I want?

1. Learning the way people lived in the past through films and video records helps current people to imagine and mimic that way of living in which gives them a better understanding of the past.

2. Learning the way people lived in the past through films and video records helps current people to mimic that way of living in their minds in which helps them to have a better understanding of it.

The meaning I want to convey is:

Movies that talk about the past emulate the way people lived at that time or era. So, when people now watch those movies, it will help them to have a better understanding of the time they never lived in.

Thanks in advance