20/30
During the war, a poor woodcutter and his wife live in a large forest. Once a woman finds and rescues a girl, which brings irreversible changes in the life of the couple and those whose paths cross with the child. This is the first animated film by Michel Khazanavichus. World War II is one of the darkest events in human history. The time when humanity just vowed to abandon the gray war, when the world witnessed the scale of human cruelty. A time when revival, redemption and peace were promised. The hand of faith has just struck Europe in its usual terrible fashion, the towering debt of the great war and the lost generation towering over it. The world froze, not because of Shik, or at least not only because of him, but also because of what lies beneath him. Ahead of what is the greatest tragedy of the world at that moment lies an increasingly gloomy future. Germany was in ruins, having just lost the war, the faith of its people and the power of its empire. An oath was taken to avenge the humiliation. A few years after this surprisingly dark period, there lived a modest and old couple of German carpenters. A man goes to chop down big trees, and a woman ties small branches. Both spend a hard day’s work to arrive at a small house in the middle of the forest, where soup and a tired old dog await them. A woman who has never had a child, begs for everything she has, refusing God or never joining him. She begs the sky, the forest and even the train gods about the train. And once the train gods answered her prayers. In this empty corner of the forest, the train pierces the white winter snow, slowly but grimly reaching its terrible destination. And once a child is thrown from the train, and an old forest woman picks him up. Heartless to some, but not to her. The result is a beautifully made tragedy, the history of humanity: the loving force within him that builds and sacrifices, and his originally evil side that avenges and repays. Michel Khazanavichus’ animated film takes a very comical style that puts you in the heart of the enchanted forest, along with its unique cast of characters and dark World War II setting, it’s one of the most beautiful tearjerker movies of the year. A beautiful farewell to the outstanding career of Jean-Louis Trentignan.