Profound animation tackles heavy themes with positivity.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Flashbacks show the Nazis appearing almost like faceless demons, instilling fear in people. Bombs are dropped and explode in streets, and gunshots are heard from outside. Concentration camps are discussed and characters are seen being transported to their death. A museum is vandalized by rocks being thrown at it.
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Characters are seen smoking, in flashbacks to the 1940s. In present day Amsterdam, a person appears to be smoking cannabis in a cafe, where it is legalized. Two drunk characters throw rocks at the Anne Frank Museum.
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The tyrannical rule of Nazism hangs low over the production. It also relates the current refugee crisis to tragedies of the past and is critical of politics that do not give refugees the support they require. The overriding message is one of hope though, about helping those in need, choosing love over hate.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Despite all that is happening around her, Anne Frank finds the good in people. In searching for Anne, Kitty learns of her lasting impact, the hope she gives others, and all that she left behind in her writing. There is a character who is found pickpocketing, and he isn't really held accountable within the film. It's brushed off, as though he had little choice.
Diverse Representations
some
The film is set within the Jewish community, where being Jewish is of course a major part of the story, including the persecution the community faced from the Nazis in WWII. The imaginary friend Kitty has been invented by Anne Frank, and while she isn't Jewish, she says that she wishes she was. She does, however, take objection to being a redhead. The film links the horrors of the past to the current refugee crisis, and how we must all try and help those in need.
Parents need to know that Where Is Anne Frank is a poignant and profound animation with plenty of positive messages despite the backdrop of World War II and its atrocities. After a magical storm, Kitty (voiced by Ruby Stokes), the imaginary friend from Anne Frank's (Emily Carey) diary, comes to life in modern day Amsterdam. While searching for her friend, Kitty learns of the horrors of Nazism, in particular toward the Jewish community. The film also relates the Holocaust to the current refugee crisis, making for a relevant and thought-provoking feature. Despite these heavy themes, Anne's blissful, optimistic outlook on life, and ability to find the good in everything, sets the tone for the film. There are upsetting scenes though. For example, Anne and her family are seen being transported to their death in a concentration camp, with Anne trying to understand why the person she is puts her life in danger. As a reminder to Anne and Kitty's young age, there are innocent teen conversations about crushes and some characters kiss. In the 1940s, characters smoke, and in one scene in modern day Amsterdam, someone is shown smoking cannabis, where it is legal to do so. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Beautifully done animation, poignant story and comparison of prisoners of war with modern day refugees provide lots of discussion points to have with your children.
There are a couple of odd parts that I didn’t think were necessary to the story such as when the characters talk about boys at school who’ve “done it” and also where Anne and Peter talk about male “sex parts”. However, this may have been to represent things that are actually written in Anne Frank’s diary.
But on the whole a lovely, captivating and thoughtful representation of the Anne Frank story.
What's the Story?
In WHERE IS ANNE FRANK, a storm hits present day Amsterdam and the Anne Frank museum, causing the pages from Anne's diary to come to life, including her imaginary friend, Kitty (Ruby Stokes). Kitty doesn't understand the world she is in, and goes on the hunt for her best friend, trying to comprehend as she searches in vain, exactly what happened to Anne (Emily Carey), and why.
This fantastical animation is a truly unique and fascinating route into a story many of us already know so well. Where Is Anne Frank tackles the young diarist's story through the eyes of her imaginary friend, Kitty, who magically finds herself in modern day Amsterdam. What this approach, and this perspective allows, is for the viewer to try and understand what happened to Anne Frank through the eyes of someone who had no idea what had occurred. Kitty is oblivious to the horrors and cruelty that swept across Europe during World War II, learning about them for the first time and trying to make sense of them. Through these innocent eyes we see the atrocities of WWII in a simplified form, which makes the devastation seem even more profound and upsetting -- the sheer tragedy that kids were killed for no other reason than their race.
Yet Where Is Anne Frank also strives to highlight the lasting impact that Anne left behind, the sense of humanity she gave to an otherwise inhumane period of history. Tying the Holocaust to the ongoing refugee crisis feels a little heavy-handed, though it's difficult to be too critical of a story that hammers the importance of love over hate. To top it all off, the animation style is striking, adding to a film that will enlighten and capture the imaginations of both kids and adults.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what happened to Anne in Where Is Anne Frank. What did you know about her before you saw this movie? Has it inspired you to learn more about her? What character strengths did she demonstrate?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Stefan Pape
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
