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Fatih Akin’s ‘Une enfance allemande — Île d’Amrum, 1945’ Opens to Strong Reviews

Critics highlight a restrained, landscape-driven drama rooted in Hark Bohm’s memories.

Overview

  • The film arrives in theaters on December 24 with a 1 hour 33 minute runtime after screenings at Cannes and the Festival du film de Lama.
  • It centers on 12-year-old Nanning on the remote island of Amrum in 1945, tracing everyday scarcity and the arrival of refugees from Silesia without leaning on battlefield spectacle.
  • The project adapts Hark Bohm’s childhood account and was entrusted to Akin after Bohm fell ill, with reviewers noting the film as a faithful continuation of his vision.
  • Newcomer Jasper Billerbeck draws strong notices for an expressive lead turn that anchors the story’s child’s-eye perspective.
  • Diane Kruger appears in a brief but pivotal role for which she learned Frisian, and critics praise the classical visuals reminiscent of Caspar David Friedrich.