Released in 2001, this film centers around a Jewish family that must leave 1930s Germany, settling in Kenya.
Interestingly, the actress who plays Jettel, Juliane Köhler, also played Eva Braun in Der Untergang. Her husband in the film, Walter, is played by Merab Ninidze, who was born in present-day Georgia. He often plays in shows centering around spying, such as Homeland, Berlin Station, Deutschland 83, and Mein bester Feind.
Matthias Habich is another versatile actor. Born in Danzig (now in Poland), he got his start in West German TV and film back in the mid-1960’s. Some of his famous roles include: The Reader, Enemy at the Gates, and Der Untergang.
The main African character, who attempts to help the German families acclimate to their new home, in played by Kenyan actor Sidede Onyulo. Sadly, he died after an illness in his home country only a few years into his film career.
There is much to be said for this film. The class clash that happens as Jettel must come to terms with her new reality, the capture of the Germans in Kenya as the war develops, dealing with disasters in a community, and the speed of which the daughter learns various languages along the way. There is also a good conversation about why people may choose to return to Germany after the war, or not to. This film lends itself well to a wide variety of courses and units.
This film is rated R in the U.S. due to nudity and sexuality. It is possible to edit these out or skipped, though some of the plot may make less sense without them.