AJFF: Child’s-Eye View of Life-or-Death ‘Journey’

By Jacqueline Morris

Based on a true story, “Fanny’s Journey” tells the saga of sisters sent to a boarding school in France’s neutral zone during World War II to try to keep them safe.

All the Jewish children at the school are suddenly sent to an aid organization to try to get them away from danger. They are given new names and taught what to say when they talk to adults they don’t know so they won’t be exposed as Jews.

When it is realized that the children’s new home has been discovered and they must flee to Switzerland, the children are broken into two groups, each assigned to an older boy to be in charge.

But the older boy assigned to Fanny’s group gets scared and runs away, and although she is not the oldest remaining child, the 13-year-old Fanny is the most capable to make decisions and finds herself in charge of eight other children.

A Holocaust movie always needs something to make viewers experience events differently or think of something they have never thought of before. This film does just that. As the movie progresses, it becomes evident that this story comes from the memory of a child.

The way the children survive, what they think about, what they say and the actions they take are all presented as a child would perceive them. The decision-making process is different for them.

They don’t think about fear the way adults do. They are less afraid of what is happening because they were told to be afraid of monsters and don’t necessarily associate that word with other human beings.

“Fanny’s Journey” is an amazing experience. Seeing the decisions of Fanny and the other children is thought-provoking.

I highly recommend this movie; it will prove worth your time.