The first time it happened was when I was in 5th grade. An older boy yelled a derogatory remark at me about my religion. When I told the teacher, she looked at me and asked if I saw any dirt on me. Replying no to her, she said I should not pay attention to something that is not true. That was it; however, it would not be the only time I heard a religious slur. When I hear children say hateful things to other children, I wonder how someone so young can be prejudiced, let alone even know what they are actually saying sometimes. More times than not, one only has to look at their home life. Words could not be truer in this dramatic movie set near the end of World War II. Eldest child Lore, played by relative newcomer Saskia Rosendahl, must take her siblings to their grandmother when her German officer father and mother were summoned away from their home, as Allied forces were sweeping the country. To navigate the dangerous route; Lore would have to depend on Thomas, played by Kai-Peter Malina (The White Ribbon, To Faro), the kind of person she was taught not to trust. This unhurried thriller did a wonderful job in the way it told its compelling story. I also felt the cinematography and soundtrack only enhanced the emotional depth of this film. For the actors who played the siblings, it was surprising how good they were since they were all relatively new to acting. If we are to believe that we come into this world pure and innocent, then it is certainly amazing what can be taught to us as children. You may have heard that saying “out of the mouths of babes.” I just wonder how many times are those children echoing someone else. German with English subtitles.

3 1/2 stars