WHITE BIRD

US, 2023, 120 minutes, Colour.

Ariella Glaser, Orland Schwerdt, Helen Mirren, Gillian Anderson, Jem Matthews, Bryce Gheisar.

Directed by Marc Forster.

A film about occupied France.

To appreciate this journey back into the past, Jewish families, in Alsace, the advance of the

Germans, anti-Semitism, the trains to the concentration camps, it is helpful to know that the film is based on graphic novel by popular author, R. J. Palacio, noted for her books for children and younger audiences. This is very much a Young Adult treatment of its theme. Which means that the drama and the sometimes dreadful situations are be presented in a way that, for instance, the whole family could watch the film together. There should be no expectations that this will be a graphic treatment for an an older audience.

But, the film opens in the present, in New York City, a young boy, Julian, expelled from school for bullying, is at his new school, and immediate suggestions of bullying situations. But, that is not the story here. Rather, his famous grandmother, a world renowned artist who is having an exhibition, retrospect, in New York, concerned about Julian’s expulsion and what will happen to him in a new school, tells him the story about her parents, in France, her own experience of the war. Which means then that most of the film is in flashbacks, often returning to the grandmother and Julian ensuring that he is listening attentively to her story.

As do we. The grandmother is Sara, mid teens, played by Ariella Glaser. Family is Jewish, the parents not immediately apprehensive but suddenly taken away. Sara attends the local school, run by a sympathetic priest. The staff of the school try to save the Jewish students from the Nazis, running away but everyone caught except for Sara, and the brutal death of the young teacher who helped.

Many audiences will be thinking of the Diary of Anne Frank as we see what happens to Sara, successfully running away, eluding capture, helped by a fellow student whom she had ignored in the past, he the butt of bullying because of his lame leg. He is Julien, played by Australian actor, Orland Schwerdt. With the consent of his parents, Sara is hidden in the barn, a growing friendship over a period of two years.

Julien is very likeable, audience sympathy for him, and the audience appreciating the growing friendship between him and Sara. But, there are the realities of war, some of the local boys from the school aligning themselves with the Nazis, some brutal confrontations. But, of course, Sarah has survived and prospered, having had great opportunity in the barn to continue and develop her drawings, her art. And, as she explains, that is why her young grandson has been called Julian.

Older audiences will be attracted to the film because it is headlined by Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson, Helen Mirren as the older Sara, Gillian Anderson as Julian’s mother.

And, the imaginative touch, the presence of the White Bird, and its symbolism of peace and joy, protection.

(Audiences familiar with the writings of R.J.Palacio will know her story, Wonder, filmed in 2017, the American boy, Julian, a bullying character there – and this film opening with reference to his being expelled and at the new school.)

1. A film about occupied France, the background of the Holocaust, but designed as a film for a Young Adult audience? Not designed for an older mature audience wanting to relive or to understand the Holocaust? Acknowledging these limits?
2. The work of R.J.Palacio, her novels, graphic novels? The connection with Wonder, Julian, bullying, this new film and his changing school, his attitude towards bullying, sitting at the dining room table, told that is sitting with losers, the girl with the glasses and her invitation to join the social club? And is later apologising to her and his future?
3. The framework with Julian, at school, his grandmother visiting from Paris, her reputation as an artist, the retrospect exhibition? Her talking with Julian, telling her story, hoping to temper his bullying and set him on a straight apart?
4. Helen Mirren as the grandmother, her presence and style, public celebrity, telling the story, the episodes in flashback, coming back to Julian in the present, the impact of her story on him?
5. Sara’s story, in Alsace, Jewish family, the imminent arrival of the Germans, her parents confident, and their being taken? Her presence in the school, Catholic background, the priest in charge, the roundup of the Jewish students, the Germans, the sympathetic boys, especially Vincent and helping them? The young teacher getting the students to run away, their being rounded up, his being shot? Sara and her running away, hiding?
6. Sara, the encounter with Julian, her having sat next to him in class for five years but snobbish? His leg and disability? Rescuing Sara, bringing her home, hiding her in the barn, the consent of his parents? The caution about the neighbours, thinking them informers? Sarah and the initial situation in the barn, the parents coming to welcome her, Julien and his visits, the food, pencils and the art book, the conversations, time passing?
7. Memories of the Diary of Anne Frank? Sara and her isolation, secrecy, for two years? The growing friendship with Julien, playing cards, talking, the sketches? The birthday celebration, the cake, the parents joining in? The effect on Sarah?
8. Julien, the moments of tension with Sara, not visiting? The resuming of the friendship?
9. The presence of the Germans in the town, Julien and his decision to walk through the town, the mockery of the fellow students, his being taken with the infirm at the hospital, the drive, at into the countryside, their passing on the advice to run, everybody running, their all being shot?
10. The parents, the news, her into the authorities, visit to the neighbours, the discovery that they were sheltering in old Jewish man for the years, the giving the mother the money to pay for Julien’s release, her hurrying to the authorities, going to the site, Julien’s death?
11. The dangers for Sara, her being helped by the neighbours, her being saved till the end of the war?
12. The dramatic sequence with Vincent, his finding her, her running into the countryside, the rule is, the attack on Vincent, his death?
13. The effect of the story on Julien, his grandmother’s exhortation is an encouragement? And happy story of his name, and the parents giving away at her wedding ceremony?
14. The gearing of the telling of the story to the young adult audience, glimpses of the violence rather than focusing on it, making it a film to enable younger audiences to go back into the past, to experience the anti-Semitism, the German occupation, the sending of the Jews to Auschwitz?