White Bird and What Happened to Never Again?

White Bird is an emotionally riveting film about the courage of kindness. In a time when the promise of “never again” is in jeopardy, this is a must-see movie.

White Bird

White Bird the movie is based on a graphic novel, written by R.J. Palacio, and centred on the horrific topic of the Holocaust. Palacio wrote her book for children, one of a series of books about wonder. And kindness. The movie is far from a kids movie.

Movies that make me feel something are the best, regardless of what critics say. (White Bird was panned by critics and 48% of viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.) You could spend your movie money on a lot worse experiences. And this movie is an experience.

The novel and the movie aren’t a completely true story, however they are based on several true accounts.

Grandmère

In White Bird, a Grandmère tells her story of how she escaped the Holocaust in France during WWII. Helen Mirren suits her role. And the actress, 14-year old Ariella Glaser, who plays her as a 13-year-old living in a remote French village, will steal your heart.

White Bird is told through the eyes of Sara (Grandmère), a Jewish citizen of France. Sara shares what it was like to live in a world that gradually lost its freedom. The Nazis slowly invade her land, spread anti-Jewish propaganda, and then begin the relocation of millions of Jewish people to concentration camps. Fortunately, Sara has help from a classmate, Julien and his family hides her from the Germans.

Movie lovers may remember Julien, the grandson, from the film, Wonder. In that movie he was the villain, picking on the story’s hero, Auggie.

As a grandmother, Sara reflects on this painful time in history and hopes it impacts her grandson in a meaningful way. He was named by his father after his mother’s hero. She tells him to make sure this kind of hate is never allowed to happen again. She tells him that he has the power to make change.

There are some unexpected twists in the plot so I won’t spoil those for you.

White Bird is a must-see in an era when “never again” needs to be echoed.

Never Again

Oct. 7, 2023, was the most heinous attack on Jews since the Holocaust. 1,200 dead, 6,700 wounded, 251 taken hostage. Among them were children and babies killed, bodies burned, and violent rapes.

That day, crowds gathered in Canadian cities, chanted, “From Palestine to Lebanon, Israel will soon be gone.”

One year after the October 7 massacre by Hamas in Israel, protesters chanting anti-Israel slogans stormed and smashed buildings at McGill, one of Canada’s premier universities. Later that same evening, on the other side of the country in Vancouver, pro-Hamas demonstrators burned Canadian flags on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery in downtown, accompanied by chants of “Death to Canada.” “Death to Israel.”

Hamas is misrepresented as “freedom fighters” and Israel as “genocidal”.

The responses?

Crickets from the police and government.

Don’t blame freedom of speech. However, there is no excuse for blatant racism, hate speech,  and violence. Freedom of speech does not mean you can say or chant whatever you like.

What To Do?

In the 1930s, Germany’s Jews – some 500,000 people – made up less than one percent (0.8%) of the German population. Most considered themselves loyal patriots, linked to the German way of life by language and culture. They excelled in science, literature, the arts, and economic enterprise. 24% of Germany’s Nobel Prize winners were Jewish.

January 30, 1933, Adolph Hitler became Chancellor. Five years later violence against Jews broke out across Germany.

Could it happen in Europe again? Or Canada?

The 2023 Anti-Defamation League survey found that roughly one out of every four residents of the European countries harboured antisemitic attitudes. At least one in three respondents in Western European countries believe that Jews are more loyal to Israel than the countries they reside in. In Eastern Europe, the most commonly held stereotypes is that of Jewish economic control and the perception of Jews as clannish.

Would a film like White Bird ever be filmed to share the story of Jews or some other marginalized group in our country? You and I have the responsibility to ensure that kind of film is never needed.

What do you think? Please join the conversation, post a comment below, and share this post. Thank you.

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