Amrum

Directed by Fatih Akin

Release Year: 2026
Running time: 93
Country: Germany
Language: German
Genres: Drama, History, War
Screening Request
Directed by: Fatih Akin
Writer: Fatih Akin, Hark Bohm

It is the Spring of 1945 on the German island of Amrum, a remote outpost in the North Sea. The front is far away, and 12-year-old Nanning (newcomer Jasper Billerbeck) spends his days working the nearby farm and his nights fishing, helping his mother to feed their family. Despite the hardship, life on the beautiful, windswept isle seems idyllic. When their anti-fascist neighbor Tessa (Diane Kruger) mentions to Nanning that the war will soon be over, the boy – too young to understand the political implications – is pleased to imagine that his father, a Nazi officer, might soon be coming home. But his mother Hille (Laura Tonke) is a true believer, and word of Germany’s imminent defeat sends her into decline. One day from her sick bed, she wishes for white bread, butter and honey, near impossible luxuries on Amrum which Nanning innocently tries to find for her. But as he sets off on his quest, he learns from his neighbors that the enemy is far closer than he imagined. From Golden Globe Award-winning filmmaker Fatih Akin (In the Fade, Head-On), Amrum is a tender coming-of-age tale about the loss of innocence set against the waning days of the Second World War.

Reviews

“A coming-of-age story about growing a conscience... it depicts Nanning’s awakening with the kind of subtlety and restraint that suggests his moral education will continue evolving after the end of the movie.”

Beatrice Loayza, The New York Times
 
“Akin delivers an emotionally rich cinematic experience that doubles as an intriguing back-door glimpse of the costs of the Third Reich’s aggression... Amrum is a stirring example of how childhood reminiscence can stand for so much more.”
Kyle Smith, The Wall Street Journal
 
“A drama of deliverance, in which Nanning, a twelve-year-old member of the Jungvolk, takes his crucial first steps toward throwing off the idealogical shackles”
Justin Chang, The New Yorker
 
“A deceptively intoxicating piece of classical filmmaking… set during the final days of World War II.”
David Schwartz, Screen Slate
 
“A film that explores how memories shape us—and how often we decide at an early age what type of person we’re going to be.”
Stephanie Zacharek, Time
 
“A poignant coming of age tale… captures the beauty of a place out of time.”
Pete Hammond, Deadline
 
“A timeless keeper… soul-stirring… graceful and profound.”
Tomris Laffly, Variety
 
“Shot in a crisp, classic style that brings out all the subdued, brackish beauty of this North Sea haven.”
Lee Marshall, Screen Daily
 
“The classic, edenic cinematography… leans into a gorgeous visual language that evokes nostalgia.”
Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter
 
“A rare film that relies on the power of simplicity to tell a story that is anything but simple.”
Steve Pond, The Wrap
 

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