From Hilde, With Love – REVIEW

WWII historical features conventionally are action packed and suitable for most audiences, however the subject matter of this German produced movie is dark, unsettling and may haunt audiences long after leaving the cinema.

The movie centers on a brave young German woman named Hilde Coppi (Liv Lisa Fries) who is held captive in prison awaiting her fate after being convicted for treason by the Nazi regime. She is pregnant from her lover Hans (Johannes Hegemann) who has also been convicted as a resistance fighter.

Being resistance fighters, they fought against evil, but what this movie conveys is the harsh reality of the penalties under the Third Reich if captured and convicted.

There are no war action sequences or politically based board room meetings. The majority of the scenes are set in a prison and what proves disturbing is that the executions by guillotine of the two pivotal characters are predictably inevitable.

The heart wrenching scene where Hans and Hilde share quality time with their baby before Hans is taken away and executed should leave audiences emotionally destitute. This feeling of discomposure only accelerates in the final act where Hilde and many other convicted women are waiting outside in line to be executed.

This is literally a movie that will speak to people. It’s compelling, thought-provoking, and emotive, a movie that should arouse much conversation and possibly angst.

Imagery plays a large role in this movie. It’s noticeable from the onset that even though the story is set in Germany during WWII, the costumes, sets, and hairstyles are all neutral – atypical of the era depicted.

This visual symbolism is a sharply clear message, or caution, that the dark subject matter outlined in this movie can recur anywhere at any time.

German actress Liv Lisa Fries’ performance as Hilda is astonishing. The tender, shy and vulnerable qualities she evokes in her character only fuel the emotional rollercoaster audiences will experience once her fate is sealed.

What is disconcerting about this story is that it wasn’t the invention of a screenwriter – it’s reality. Imagine how harrowing it would have been for Hilda to have her baby taken away two days before her execution date was set.

From Hilde, With Love is a very powerful movie, an emotional challenge that should touch the hearts of all who see it. It may also be painfully upsetting for the more sensitive of viewers.

Audiences should be moved by the story of Hilde – a young woman who was not a full-time resistance fighter and who fell in love, had a baby, and wanted to live a normal life – but unfortunately the horrors of war intervened.

Last word: another affecting WWII movie that highlights the dread and futility of war.

★★★1/2

Currently screening as part of the German Film Festival at all Palace Cinemas.