79. Waiting For Anya; movie review

WAITING FOR ANYA
Cert 12A
131 mins
BBFC advice: Contains moderate threat, violence, rude gesture

"How did the German army spread itself so thinly during the Second World War?"
That was the question on the lips of Mrs W and me after watching this movie about French resistance at the base of the Pyrenees.
Early on in Ben Cookson's film, it appeared that much of the farming community in southern France had been left to their own devices after occupation.
Then it seems that the Germans twig many are escaping over the mountains into Spain and, consequently, begin daily patrols.
Based on the novel by War Horse author, Michael Morpurgo, Waiting for Anya tells the powerful story of a young shepherd-boy who risks everything to help smuggle Jewish children to safety.
It is filmed in the town of Lescun which really did have a safe house for Jewish children and from where escapes across the border were planned.
The central figure is a curious teenager called Jo (Noah Schnapp) who discovers a village grump (Anjelica Huston) is harbouring a Jewish man (Frederick Schmidt).
He was split from his daughter in harrowing circumstances and is hoping that she will meet at their rendezvous.
As time passes, Jo becomes helpful to the old lady who also takes in Jewish children, saving them from deportation to death camps.
Meanwhile, Jean Reno plays Jo's grandfather who became the man of the house when his son (Gilles Marini) went off to war. He is one of the upstanding local residents who dream of defying the Nazis.
Thomas Kretschmann is a corporal who tries to show the acceptable face of the German army but finds himself distrusted.
Waiting For Anya reflects how naive children must grow up fast during wartime.
Initially, Jo is portrayed as believing almost everything which is said to him because he expects adults to tell the truth.
Then lies emerge, be they white to protect him or jet black because they are a deliberate attempt to trick.
Waiting For Anya offers a rare take on the Second World War (the only other time I have seen the Pyrenees referenced is by James Coburn's character during The Great Escape).
It is thought-provoking and is set against a beautiful mountain backdrop.
However, it is not quite as intense an experience as it should be.
I am trying to put my finger on exactly why - maybe the Nazis aren't quite as horrible as one might expect or maybe it might be down to the score being too light but the moments that should shock don't reverberate as much as they might,
Nevertheless, it is worth a watch as it highlights the bravery of the French mountain people whose bravery has seldom been in the spotlight.

Reasons to watch: A different take on the Holocaust
Reasons to avoid: Doesn't bring forth tension as much as it might

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Official statistics tell us that between the years 1940 and 1944, there were 33,000 successful escapes by Frenchmen along the entire length of the Pyrenean chain.

The final word. Noah Schnapp: "It's a period piece set during World War II, which is something I've never really done before. It's also surrounded by this time in World War II, and I'm Jewish and my family is... I resonate with it a lot. I talked to my family about it and we were all really excited to do it." Inverse

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