Movie
Jojo rabbit
Director: Taika Waititi
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Alfie Allen, Taika Waititi, Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, Archie Yates, Luke Brandon Field, Sam Haygarth
The subject of National Socialism from a child’s point of view, protagonist of a comedy with a dramatic background. The very young Jojo Betzler is 10 years old and has many difficulties in dealing with his peers. For this very reason, and because of his clumsy nature, he is nicknamed Jojo Rabbit – a nickname that underscores his difficulty with the cruelty of some children. To try to confront a world that always seems hostile, Jojo then turns to his imaginary friend, nothing unusual for a child his age except that the friend he created has the face of Adolf Hitler, played by the same director. When he discovers that his mother is hiding Elsa, a Jewish girl, in the attic, the child begins to ask many questions about the legitimacy of what he is being taught at school and at the training camp. A friendship develops between Jojo and Elsa, which leads the boy to see things around him with different eyes and to doubt the validity of the teachings about National Socialism. Written and directed by Tika Waititi with his distinctive wit and pathos, the film is inspired by the 2004 novel Caged Heaven by Christine Leunens. The writer-director also drew on his personal Jewish heritage and life experiences shaped by prejudices. The film – inspired by Christine Leunens’ novel Caged Heaven – received six Academy Award nominations and received the statuette for best screenplay.
«I’ve always been drawn to stories in which the world is seen through children’s eyes. Here it is a child that you wouldn’t normally invest in,” reveals Taika Waititi. “Having my own children has made me even more aware that adults should lead children through life and raise them to be the best version of themselves, but in times of war the opposite is often the case. As a Maori Jew, I’ve experienced a certain level of prejudice, so working on Jojo Rabbit was a way to remind us, especially today, that we need to raise our children to be tolerant and keep telling ourselves that hate doesn’t help should have place world. Children are not born into hate, they are raised into it.”