The Windermere Children
The stark, moving and ultimately redemptive story of how the friendships forged at Windermere become a lifeline to a fruitful future.
August, 1945. A coachload of children arrive at the Calgarth Estate by Lake Windermere. They are child survivors of the Nazi Holocaust that has devastated Europe鈥檚 Jewish population. Carrying only the clothes they wear and a few meagre possessions, they bear the emotional and physical scars of all they have suffered.
Charged with looking after them is Oscar Friedmann, a German-born child psychologist. He and his team of counsellors have just four months to help the children reclaim their lives. By the lake, in sunshine and rain the children eat, learn English, play football and ride bikes. They yearn for news of their loved ones every day, and meanwhile they are invited to express their trauma through painting. Some locals taunt them but they are embraced by others. A number of the older children steal and they are haunted by nightmares. Nevertheless, it is in this environment that they begin to heal.
Eventually, letters from The Red Cross arrive with the terrible confirmation that for nearly all the children's siblings and parents have been murdered. One child, however, is convinced that his brother survived.
The Windermere Children is the stark, moving and ultimately redemptive story of the bonds they make with one another, and of how the friendships forged at Windermere become a lifeline to a fruitful future. In the absence of relatives, they find family in each other.
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Clips
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Football victory seems assured until Leonard intervenes
Duration: 01:39
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Jock oversteps the mark during football training
Duration: 01:13
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Bicycle joy
Duration: 00:57
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Jock Lawrence meets Arek Hershlikovicz
Duration: 00:56
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Oscar | Thomas Kretschmann |
Marie Paneth | Romola Garai |
Jock Lawrence | Iain Glen |
Leonard Montefiore | Tim McInnerny |
Rabbi Weiss | Konstantin Frank |
Berish | Marcel Sabat |
George Lauer | Philipp Christopher |
Edith Lauer | Anna Schumacher |
Dr Willenshaw | BJ Hogg |
Mrs Walker | Ali White |
Chiel Falinower | Thomas Finnegan |
Ben Helfgott | Pascal Fischer |
Sam Laskier | Marek Wroblewski |
Sala | Anna Maciejewska |
Arek | Tomasz Studzinski |
Ike Alterman | Jakub Sprenger |
Chaim Olmer | Kacper Swietek |
Yvonne | Tara Cush |
Salek | Jakub Jankiewicz |
Sevek/Juliusz | Lukasz Zieba |
Malcolm | Cal O'Driscoll |
Toddler 1 | India Angermann-Wajs |
Bela | Alicia Pokladecka |
Malcolm's Friend | Colm Mccready |
Malcolm's Friend 1 | Jonathan Cameron |
Composer | Alex Baranowski |
Director | Michael Samuels |
Producer | Alison Sterling |
Writer | Simon Block |
Production Company | Wall to Wall Media |