Possibly one to tug on the heart strings, Brian Percival‘s World War II drama THE BOOK THIEF, based on the same-titled novel by Markus Zusak, is looking a shoe-in for award consideration in the upcoming season. The film follows the harrowing story of young Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nélisse), a teen girl adopted by a loving family, played by Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson, during the early rise of Nazi Germany. She finds her love of reading as a way to shut off from the horrors and rebel against the evil regime.
Based on the beloved international bestselling book, The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel, an extraordinary and courageous young girl sent to live with a foster family in World War II Germany. She learns to read with encouragement from her new family and Max, a Jewish refugee who they are hiding under the stairs. For Liesel and Max, the power of words and imagination become the only escape from the tumultuous events happening around them. The Book Thief is a life-affirming story of survival and of the resilience of the human spirit.
THE BOOK THIEF is all set to open on the 31st January 2014 in the UK, but those in the US can catch it from the 8th November.
Craig was our great north east correspondent, proving that it’s so ‘grim up north’ that losing yourself in a world of film is a foregone prerequisite. He has been studying the best (and often worst) of both classic and modern cinema at the University of Life for as long as he can remember. Craig’s favorite films include THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, JFK, GOODFELLAS, SCARFACE, and most of John Carpenter’s early work, particularly THE THING and HALLOWEEN.
