Latest news with #AmrumIsland
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Amrum' Review: Diane Kruger in Fatih Akin's Sentimental Drama Set During the Last Days of Nazi Germany
In Amrum, Fatih Akin stages a sentimental conversation between himself and his mentor, the German director Hark Bohm. This project, which premiered at Cannes outside the main competition, was born of a collaboration between the two filmmakers: Bohm wrote the screenplay, which is based on memories of his youth in the waning days of World War II, and Akin directed (as well as helped edit the script). Indeed, one of the film's intertitles calls Amrum a 'Hark Bohm film by Fatih Akin.' That's a useful note, because it announces Amrum as atypical of the Turkish-German filmmaker's usual offerings. It doesn't have the thriller textures of In the Fade or the grittiness of Head-On. With its focus on the experiences of a young boy, Amrum most closely aligns with Akin's 2016 coming-of-age drama Goodbye Berlin. More from The Hollywood Reporter Cannes Gives Warm Welcome to Dardennes and 'Young Mother's Home' 'Resurrection' Review: Director Bi Gan's Beguiling, Beautifully Realized Journey Through the Life, Death and Possible Rebirth of Cinema 'Woman and Child' Review: An Unwieldy Iranian Melodrama Sustained by Great Performances and a Gifted Young Director But even that film, with its surreal elements, had a touch more edge. Amrum lives in the category of movies that confront the cruelty of Nazism through the perspective of children. It's less cloying than The Boy in the Striped Pajamas but more earnest than JoJo Rabbit. The film stars returning Akin collaborator Diane Kruger as an anti-fascist farmer on the titular island off the German coast, and features a strong turn from Jasper Ole Billerbeck as protagonist Nanning. We meet Nanning in the summer of 1945, working alongside his friend Hermann (Klan Koppke) on a farm run by Tessa (Kruger). As they till the land, a horse and buggy filled with people pulls up and a brief conversation between Tessa and the driver reveals that those in the wagon are Russian-born German refugees who have been sent from Berlin. Tessa, fed up with the war and keenly aware of diminishing resources within this tight-knit community, denigrates the Nazi cause and hopes for an end to it all. Ignorant to the implication of Tessa's statement, Nanning alludes to it later at dinner with his mother Hille (Laura Tonke) and his aunt Ena (Lisa Hagmeister). He asks if his father will be home soon because the war is almost over. Hille, a fierce Nazi loyalist, is appalled by the question and the next day she reports Tessa to the Nazi authorities. Nanning loses his job and is labeled a rat by his peers. Akin uses this early moment to establish the tension between Amrum's long-time, working-class residents and the Nazis transplanted there because of the war. Nanning, who is a member of the Hitler Youth corp and whose father plays a critical role within the Nazi party, doesn't question how he's seen by others until his mother reports Tessa to the authorities. But still, he remains loyal to her. The drama in Amrum kicks off when Hille, pregnant with her fourth child, becomes depressed by Hitler's diminishing influence. At her lowest point, she off-handedly wishes for white bread, butter and honey, and Nanning, a child who wants his mother to feel better, takes it as a mandate. He sets off on a series of quests to find these rare goods. His adventures take him across the island, where he interacts with an assortment of people with different political views. He also comes to understand more about his family's personal history and the depth of his mother and father's cruelty. Billerbeck's performance is Amrum's emotional engine. The actor channels Nanning's initial naïveté through sorrowful eyes that grow more steely as his adventures harden him to harsh realities. He captures the adolescent desire to fit in and balances that well with the grief that comes from realizing your parents are not who you thought they were. Kruger's role in Amrum is minor but affecting. She plays Tessa, a potato farmer, as a kind of counterpart to Hille. Unlike Nanning's mother, Tessa doesn't blindly support the Nazis and doesn't see Hitler as the path to Germany's salvation. There's a groundedness to her character, who embodies a rare kind of moral clarity. Amrum is hardly a piece of fascist apologia nor does it try to build a sympathetic portrait of Nazis. Akin uses a child's perspective to wrestle with a nation's conception of itself in the waning days of brutality. Still, one does wonder if the message about the Third Reich's rotten core gets lost in the classic, edenic cinematography (by Karl Walter Lindenlaub). Akin leans into a gorgeous visual language that evokes nostalgia. He trades frenetic jump cuts and hectic camera angles that define films like Head-On for meditative wide shots that bask in the scale and beauty of the island. Some of the most compelling scenes in Amrum focus on the economy of conflict and how war turns basic commodities — eggs, flour and even sugar — into luxury goods. As Nanning procures these items for his mother, evidence of the Nazis' weakened authority mounts. His mother's depression worsens — especially at the news of Hitler's death — and the young boy feels intensifying pressure to help alleviate it. But the more he learns about his parents and the island, the more he must contend with his own sense of morality. What does it mean to lose faith in one's role models and form an identity outside their ideological purview? It's a conventional narrative drama, but Amrum approaches this question with commendable tenderness. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now "A Nutless Monkey Could Do Your Job": From Abusive to Angst-Ridden, 16 Memorable Studio Exec Portrayals in Film and TV
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Diane Kruger puts on a leggy display in a yellow kimono dress at Cannes Film Festival's Amrum photocall
Diane Kruger looked sensational in a yellow kimono-inspired dress as she attended the Amrum photocall at Cannes Film Festival on Thursday. The Inglorious Basterds star, 48, glammed up to promote her new film at the 78th annual festival in France along with co-stars Matthias Schweighoefer and Laura Tonke. And her look certainly didn't disappoint, with the German actress commanding attention as she put on a leggy display in the short yellow number. Diane added a few extra inches to her frame with a pair of black heels as she made sure to turn heads with her very vibrant look. She styled her blonde locks swept back in a tight up-do and accessorised with a pair of classy golden earrings. The actress posed for photos at the festival with a number of her co-stars, including one with Matthias and the film's Turkish-German director Faith Akin. Matthias Schweighoefer, known for starring in Oppenheimer and Army of Thieves, cut a dapper figure for the occasion in an all-black ensemble featuring a button-up shirt. Amrum, which is expected to release later this year, sees child actor Jasper Billerbeck star alongside Diane and a host of other A-list actors. Co-written by Hark Bohm, the film is said to be based on the screenwriter's childhood on the German island of Amrum. It is set in the final weeks of World War II, with 12-year-old Nanning, played by Jasper, hunting the seas for seals and working at a nearby farm to help feed his family. A summary of the much-anticipated film reads: 'Amrum Island, Spring 1945. 'In the final days of the war, 12-year-old Nanning braves the treacherous sea to hunt seals, goes fishing at night, and works the nearby farm to help his mother feed the family. 'Despite the hardship, life on the beautiful, windswept island almost feels like paradise. 'But when peace finally comes, it reveals a deeper threat: the enemy is far closer than he imagined.' Matthias Schweighoefer, who has previously starred in blockbusters such as Oppenheimer and Army of Thieves, cut a dapper figure for the occasion in an all-black ensemble featuring a button-up shirt This week's star-studded Cannes Film Festival has seen a host of A-list names step out onto the red carpet for various premieres. Notably, man of the moment Tom Cruise was in attendance on Wednesday for the premiere of his Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the finale of the set of films. The Hollywood actor, 62, was joined by his leading ladies Hayley Atwell, 43, Pom Klementieff, 39, and Hannah Waddingham, 50, and other famous faces on the red carpet. The film, which has faced multiple delays, is finally due to hit cinemas on May 23, 2025. The movie's leading lady Hayley has reprised her role as Grace, a former thief turned IMF agent and ally to Tom's Ethan Hunt.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Diane Kruger puts on a leggy display in a vibrant yellow blazer dress at Cannes Film Festival's Amrum photocall
looked sensational in a yellow kimono-inspired blazer dress as she attended the Amrum photocall at Cannes Film Festival on Thursday. The Inglorious Basterds star, 48, glammed up to promote new film at the 78th annual festival in France along with co-stars Matthias Schweighoefer and Laura Tonke. And her look certainly didn't disappoint, with the German actress not failing to command attention as she put on a leggy display in a short yellow dress. Diane added a few extra inches to her frame with a pair of black heels as she made sure to turn heads with her very vibrant look. She styled her blonde locks swept back in a tight up-do and accessorised with a pair of classy golden earrings. The actress posed for photos at the festival with a number of her co-stars, including one with Matthias and the film's Turkish-German director Faith Akin. Matthias Schweighoefer, known for starring in Oppenheimer and Army of Thieves, cut a dapper figure for the occasion in an all-black ensemble featuring a button-up shirt. Amrum, which is expected to release later this year, sees child actor Jasper Billerbeck star alongside Diane and a host of other A-list actors. Co-written by Hark Bohm, the film is said to be based on the screenwriter's childhood on the German island of Amrum. It is set in the final weeks of World War II, with 12-year-old Nanning, played by Jasper, hunting the seas for seals and working at a nearby farm to help feed his family. A summary of the much-anticipated film on IMDb reads: 'Amrum Island, Spring 1945. 'In the final days of the war, 12-year-old Nanning braves the treacherous sea to hunt seals, goes fishing at night, and works the nearby farm to help his mother feed the family. 'Despite the hardship, life on the beautiful, windswept island almost feels like paradise. 'But when peace finally comes, it reveals a deeper threat: the enemy is far closer than he imagined.' Matthias Schweighoefer, who has previously starred in blockbusters such as Oppenheimer and Army of Thieves, cut a dapper figure for the occasion in an all-black ensemble featuring a button-up shirt This week's star-studded Cannes Film Festival has seen a host of A-list names step out onto the red carpet for various premieres. Notably, man of the moment Tom Cruise was in attendance on Wednesday for the premiere of his Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the finale of the set of films. The Hollywood actor, 62, was joined by his leading ladies Hayley Atwell, 43, Pom Klementieff, 39, and Hannah Waddingham, 50, and other famous faces on the red carpet. The film, which has faced multiple delays, is finally due to hit cinemas on May 23, 2025. The movie's leading lady Hayley has reprised her role as Grace, a former thief turned IMF agent and ally to Tom's Ethan Hunt. At the premiere, Hayley looked radiant and glowing in a massive ruffled red gown as she joined the main man on the glittering red carpet. Hannah, whose cameo in the new movie was only revealed in a recent trailer release, embodied Hollywood glamour in a strapless pale pink gown. His long-time co-star and movie sidekick Simon Pegg was also in attendance on the red carpet. For the festival's opening night on Tuesday, Bella Hadid showed her jaw-dropping figure in a gorgeous black satin gown as she arrived at the event 'For the sake of decency', new rules at the festival this year banned stars from wearing any risque or nude ensembles. But old habits appeared to die hard on Tuesday as a host of guests appeared to defy the new rules as French director Amélie Bonnin's Leave One Day opened the ceremony. Bella Hadid for instance, 28, showed her jaw-dropping figure in a gorgeous black satin gown as she arrived at the event. She went braless and opted for a thigh-high slit to complete her racy Cannes look, amid the new crackdown on risqué outfits. Meanwhile, supermodel Heidi Klum, 51, wowed in pink as she graced the screening of Partir Un Jour in a ruffled gown that resembled flowers and featured a long train. Eva Longoria, 50, too turned heads at the event in a stunning gold and black mirrored gown, flaunting her model figure.
