Directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner, starring Kristin Scott Thomas, Mélusine Mayance, Niels Arestrup, Frédéric Pierrot

Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten-year old girl, is taken with her parents by the French police as they go door-to-door arresting Jewish families in the middle of the night. Desperate to protect her younger brother, Sarah locks him in a bedroom cupboard – their secret hiding place – and promises to come back for him as soon as they are released. Sixty seven years later: Sarah’s story intertwines with that of Julia Jarmond (Scott Thomas), an American journalist investigating the roundup. In her research, Julia stumbles onto a trail of secrets that link her to Sarah, and to questions about her family’s future.

This is truly a wonderful film; moving, poignant and covers a part of WWII atrocities that I, for one, wasn’t aware of. Scott Thomas, as always, is magnificent and the supporting roles are both believable and… well, supportive. This is a must-see film which educates, moves and engrosses its viewers on every level.

Verdict: A really nice piece of dramatic cinema with a subject matter to move. Must go out and buy the book from which it was lifted! ****