As World War II is winding down, 12-year-old Nanning Bohm (Jasper Billerbeck), who lives on the North Sea island of Amrum, is trying to help his mom support the family.

A drama based on the memories of playwright and filmmaker Hark Bohm, a time when Germans living a quiet life away from the war learn on the radio that the Third Reich is no more. This April in 1945, Nanning learns a lot about life and death, right and wrong, and the truth about Nazism.

Striking cinematography that captures humans and animals on this beautiful, isolated island; the film’s understated approach is effective. 

2025-Germany. 93 min. Color. Directed by Fatih Akin. Screenplay: Fatih Akin, Hark Bohm. Cinematography: Karl Walter Lindenlaub. Cast: Jasper Billerbeck (Nanning Bohm), Laura Tonke (Hille Hagener), Diane Kruger (Tessa Bendixen), Lisa Hagmeister, Matthias Schweighöfer, Kian Köppke. 

Trivia: In the last scene, Bohm appears as the older Nanning; he died two months after the German premiere. 

Last word: “The island has really enriched my life because it is beautiful and very wild. And somehow it’s a very healthy island. I’ve never felt as good as I did during the six weeks we were there. I was outside all day. I was always incredibly tired in the evening. We were very lucky with the weather. We walked barefoot a lot, on the beach and in the dunes. It’s good for your feet. Also, unlike Sylt, Amrum lacks a land connection. That makes it somehow even more remote and unspoilt.” (Akin, Moin)