The long-awaited follow-up to her exquisite debut Somersault, Australian director Cate Shortland’s adaptation of one of the three stories from The Dark Room by Rachel Seiffert is a sensual and complex coming-of-age story that explores the tribulations faced by Germany’s young people in the wake of World War II.
When their Schutzstaffel parents are taken into Allied custody, five siblings are left to fend for themselves, with teenaged Lore taking charge of the journey to join their grandmother in Hamburg 500 miles away.
The children encounter a populace suffering from post-war denial and deprivation, and for the first time are exposed to the reality and consequences of their parents’ actions. With food hard to come by, and the journey becoming ever more arduous, the family meets Thomas, a young Jewish survivor who helps them negotiate their way towards their final destination.
Anchored by Saskia Rosendahl’s compelling debut performance in the title role, Shortland and Cinematographer Adam Arkapaw perfectly capture the challenges faced by those subjected to great change – whether conquering nation to occupied state, or child to adult.