By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
"White Bird," from director
Marc Forster ("A Man Called Otto”) is a strong contender for my "Best of the Year" list. This film stands out as a powerful Holocaust survival tale intertwined with a touching love story, narrated by, and starring the remarkable
Helen Mirren ("Golda").
Adapted by
Mark Bomback ("Fast X" and "The United States vs. Billie Holiday") from
R.J. Palacio's ("Wonder") 2019 graphic novel of the same name, this coming-of-age period drama serves as both a prequel and sequel to the 2017 hit
"Wonder" and features
Bryce Gheisar ("James the Second") reprising his role as Julian.
We first meet Julian (Gheisar), Mirren's grandson at his new, private school in New York. He's trying to fit in and be a good kid. You may recall Julian was the one who bullied the deformed student Auggie (Jacob Tremblay from "Wonder").
Now Julian is experiencing a bit of what it's like to be in an unfamiliar environment and have others look down on you. The cool clique he hoped to join shows no interest in him, leaving him frustrated. He lashes out at a female student in the school cafeteria who simply wants to befriend him.
When he gets home, he's pleasantly surprised to find his grandmother (Mirren) there. With his parents often busy at social functions, he relishes her company—and her delicious food and tea are a bonus. When Julian shares his day at school, his grandmother is disappointed to hear he was mean to someone again. In response, she offers to tell him a story that she hopes will help him appreciate kindness.
And what a story it is.
Sara recounts her childhood in France during World War II. The film seamlessly transitions between her memories and moments at the kitchen table as Julian hangs on to her every word.
At 15, Sara Blum (an excellent Ariella Glaser, "Radioactive") lives with her parents in a village under Nazi control and sees signs in stores that read "No Jews Allowed." She asks her mother Rose (Olivia Ross, "The Old Guard") and father Max (Ishai Golan, "Plan A") about the hatred directed at them. Despite their challenges, Sara excels in school and nurtures her artistic talents.
Everything changes when Nazi soldiers and French militia raid her school, forcing her and other Jewish classmates into hiding. Fortunately, Sara escapes into the woods and receives help from classmate Julien Beaumier (An outstanding Orlando Schwerdt, "Children of the Corn"), who offers to hide her in his family's barn. His parents, Vivienne (Gillian Anderson, "The Pale Blue Eye") and Jean Paul (Jo Stone-Fewings, "Endeavour"), want to take Sara in but fear their Nazi-sympathizing neighbors.
As the days turn into weeks, and weeks into months, Sara and Julien develop a sweet, innocent bond, discovering love amid adversity. One memorable scene shows them pretending to travel to exciting new places in an old broken car in the barn.
A recurring motif is a white bird--hence the movie title-- symbolizing hope and better days ahead, even as darker times loom.
While "White Bird" confronts the grim realities of the Holocaust, it balances this with themes of resilience, hope, and kindness and delivers an uplifting message that resonates powerfully even today.
Check Out This Trailer Trailer For
"WHITE BIRD"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
