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Süskind

Directed by Rudolf van den Berg

Netherlands | 118 minutes | 2012

Dutch and German with English subtitles

Amsterdam, summer 1942. Walter Süskind can count himself lucky that he's found a job with the Jewish Council, which offers him and his family protection from deportation to Germany. One night, Walter witnesses the arrest of a Jewish family. The couple's children Roosje and Simon escape, but how will they survive in the occupied city? It is Süskind’s task to arrange for the detainees to be sent to work in Germany. But when he discovers what is really awaiting his fellow Jews, he decides to double-cross the Germans. He befriends a high-ranking SS officer, Aus der Funten, while cooperating with the underground movement. With other co-conspirators, he devises cunning ways to help save many children from certain death. Among those children are Simon and Roosje, who were ultimately picked up. But the lives of Walter and his family are also endangered when Aus der Funten begins to suspect that Walter is not the trustworthy manager he seems to be. The SS man has become attached to Walter and prefers to believe that Walter is really his friend. When his superiors convince him that Suskind is the brains behind this operation, Aus der Funten explodes. Deeply hurt and feeling betrayed, he takes revenge on the only person in Amsterdam he feels close to.
Director Rudolf van den Berg
Countries of Production Netherlands
Year of Presentation 2012
Language(s) Dutch and German with English subtitles
Premiere Status
Runtime 118 minutes
Principal Cast Jeroen Spitzenberger, Karl Markovics, Nyncke Beekhuyzen
Award(s)

Winner of the Golden Film Prize at the Netherlands Platin Awards

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