Film

Only two years after the publication of the novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne, the film adaptation by director Mark Hermann was released under the same title. Despite some changes, the film also tells the tragic story of little innocent Bruno in an emotional way.

The film begins with Bruno running lightheartedly and happily with his friends through vibrant Berlin, which is already under Nazi rule. Again and again, contrasts highlight the differences between the lively city of Berlin and the desolate place of Auschwitz, or between Bruno's ideal world and the atrocities committed against the people in the concentration camp.

Through a series of cinematic motifs, the film shows the audience the emotions, longings, and desires of the characters. For example, when Bruno begins to feel bored, the camera pans to the door to the garden, which he is not allowed to enter. But at the same time, he wants to have an adventure. Then, there is the window in the shed, which means the gate to freedom, through which he could get into the forest to explore. And so, piece by piece, Hermann builds up the arc of suspense until the catastrophe at the end.

In the next pages, we will offer you a summary of the film which centers around the friendship between Bruno and Shmuel. We will then discuss the differences between the book and the film, and offer you a review of Hermann’s adaptation.