The Path (2022 | Germany | 99 minutes | Tobias Wiemann)
A young boy Rolf (Julius Weckauf) and his father Ludwig (Volker Bruch), a journalist who spoke out against Hitler, are racing toward the Spanish border via France attempting to escape the grasp of German soldiers and make it to America where Rolf’s mother waits for them. Their guide through the mountainside is a young hispanic girl, Núria (Nonna Cardoner), who knows the area like the back of her hand.
At a pivotal moment they were about to be discovered by a passing Nazi convoy so Ludwig sacrificed himself to keep his son hidden. Rolf and Núria continue toward the border but Rolf decides he can’t go on without trying to find his father first. With the help of Spanish allies, a little luck and a lot of heartache they continue their journey just hoping to make it out alive.
This story feels like one that’s been told before. Nonna brought a fresh perspective and passion into a somewhat banal screenplay. It felt like a slightly more light-hearted version of When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit with far less impact. Don’t get me wrong, a harrowing story doesn’t have to be completely serious to have an impact but The Path fell flat; a bit because of Rolf’s character being less than dynamic as well as the way Ludwig was forced to reveal himself to the German soldiers. It felt forced and the foreshadowing was way too in your face. I still very much enjoyed the story and the twists that pushed the narrative forward were intriguing for most of its 88 minutes.
The Path screened as part of the 48th Seattle International Film Festival; it is represented by Global Screen.
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