Lore

Must See
Most of us have seen many films about WW2. Most of what I've seen has been well-made and correctly shows the insanity of Hitler, the cruelty of the Nazis, the complacency or fear shown by German adults about challenging "the system" and the horror of the Holocaust. This one is different. Although it passes through all of the above, it asks a question for all of us: If you loved and trusted your parents (or any role model) and they embedded a certain point of view in your heart and head, how long would it take for you to even be open to another reality when you began to see contrary evidence in the outside world - especially when your parents told you that you would encounter nothing but propaganda and lies? How long would it take? Especially if you grew up in a time when there was not much outside media and you were only 14 years old living in a society where everyone around you believed the same thing as your parents or were too afraid to even hint at anything different. As an...

4.5 stars... the impossible journey makes for gripping viewing
"Lore" (2012 co-production from Australia and Germany; 109 min.) brings the story of Lore, a teenage girl, and her 4 younger siblings. As the movie opens, seemingly far-away WWII is coming to a close (with the announcement that the Fuhrer is dead). We soon learn that Lore's parents are high up in the Nazi party and sure to be arrested by the Allies. Lore's mother implores Lore to take her siblings up north to Hamburg to where Omi is (Lore's grandmother). The problem is that Lore and her siblings are in the Black Forest (Southwest Germany) and that Hamburg is far, far away. With no money and no food, the siblings face a quasi-impossible task. Then at a certain point they make the acquaintance of Thomas, who appears to have escaped one of the concentration camps. Now a goup of six, they work their way further north. At this point we are not quite yet half-way into the movie but to tell you more would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays...

Beautifully photographed and well-acted look at post WW2 Germany
“Lore” is a captivating 2012 coming-of-age drama about a 15 year old girl who tries to shepherd her 4 younger siblings 500 kilometers across war-devastated Germany at the end of WW 2. The film was adapted from Rachel Seiffert’s 2001 novel “The Dark Room”.

The film is beautifully photographed by Australia born Adam Arkapaw who is best known in that country for films like “The Snowtown Murders” (2011), “Animal Kingdom” (2010), and “End of Town” (2006).

The child actors are marvelous, especially Saskia Rosendahl (as Lore) and Nele Trebs as her younger sister.

This is a German production with English subtitles.

Australia born writer/director Cate Shortland is best known for the award winning film “Somersault” (2004). She does a good job showing the trials and tribulations of the journey, especially the tension between the once proud elite and the realities of the new...

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