Black Book (Zwartboek)

Story about betrayal - and a reminder of WW2 inhumanity

Steve Searle Nobody (?)

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A strong story. The subtitles suited a drama appropriately played out in the language of the characters (German and Dutch).
It portrays the life-and-death tension of WW2 Europe during the time of German military occupation.
This movie is about such a recent chapter in world history - only 60-odd years ago.
Indeed, the story prompted my discussion with a Dutch family farming here in the Waikato where one gentleman was aged 8 to 12 years old during the occupation of Holland. Older youth were kept in hiding and the younger kids (like him) had to do all the farm work etc. He recalls his parents hiding a basic radio in the laundry roof - if it was found they could be shot or sent to a work camp.
'Black Book' shows that cruelty and prejudice can take hold in any camp, not just among the 'bad guys', and similarly kindness and trust is found when not expected.