THE PATH/  DER PFAD

Germany, 2022, 95 minutes, Colour.

Julius Weckauf, Nonna Cardoner, Volker Bruch, David Bredin.

Directed by Tobias Widemann.

Quite different is The Path, opening in Marseilles 1940, a journalist fleeing Germany with his young son, trying to escape with false papers to join his wife in New York. The focus is on the young boy, possessive of his dog and smuggling it through the Pyrenees, dangers for his father and himself and the young girl who is their guide. For most of the film, the boy has to learn his responsibilities, accept blame for the situation he finds himself in, but also some moments of goodness and happiness.

1. World War II? In occupied France? Free France? Spain, the Pyrenees? Refugees to the US?
2. The situation with the family, the father, journalist, antagonising the Nazis, fleeing Germany? His wife and her visit to the US, staying there? Correspondence? Their son, his age, his attachment to his dog, promises to his mother? The need for documents?
3. Marseilles, father and son unable to sail to the US, the arrangements for the documents, the train trip to the Pyrenees? Dangers?
4. The father, his contacts, his son, atmosphere of innocence?
5. The contact at the Pyrenees, the family, money issues, advice, the track in the mountains, the issue of the dog, Rolf and his attachment, promises? The alcohol, the dog losing consciousness, packed in the bag?
6. The guide, her age, experience, issues of trust?
7. The trek, several hours over the mountains, glimpses of the sea, the status of Spain, neutral, German presence and soldiers? The difficulties of the trek, the discovery of the dog? The reactions? Held up by the soldiers, the father giving himself up to save his son?
8. The trek with the boy and the girl, mutual distrust, getting to know each other, her exasperation, the issue of responsibility, her getting him to admit his responsibility?
9. The dangers of the walk, Germans and soldiers, going to the other village, Rolf and his wanting to find his father?
10. The meeting with the partisans, their care, the news of the guide’s parents, going to the prison, the importance of the diamond, his father giving it to Rolf, to pay for the fares, the drama of the splitting of the diamond and the success, paying for the release of the guide’s parents?
11. The dangers, the fighting, the role of the dog, appearing and disappearing?
12. The partisans, their friendliness, the dangers for themselves, the fighting?
13. The farewell, the guide with her parents? Rolf and his sailing to America, the story of his mother meeting of remote, his being interrogated by customs, reunited with his mother?