Alemanha, Ano Zero

Of course, the post-war effort in individual national movie theaters to come to terms with the reality of war, which often did not end overnight for individuals or entire families, is unquestionable. Films with a strong humanitarian message can be found all over the world in the first post-war years. Hollywood couldn't be absent from this wave of coming to terms with the past. I'm simply afraid that I react very badly to leaving the entire weight of this unpleasant statement on the shoulders of a child hero. Rossellini's film, unfortunately, offers no partner for Edmund Köhler (Moeschke), making the message of Year Zero somewhat more intimate, turning the tragedy of a nation into the tragedy of an individual. I would consider that at least a topic for discussion, right? (15/06/2017)

After the disappointment of Open City, I can fully appreciate Rossellini's work for the first time. The key aspect is that the documentary camera shows a suggestive story of a family, which makes you fear the ending from the beginning, because in that depression, you can sense the mood in which the story will conclude. Fortunately, there is no anonymous study of misery here. (26/05/2006)