The Round Up   Starring: Mélanie Laurent, Jean Reno, Sylvie Testud, Gad Elmaleh and Raphaëlle Agogué Revolver Entertainment RRP: £15.99 REVD2732 Certificate: 12 Available 18 July 2011

July 16th 1942, is an infamous day in French history. In the early hours of the morning fourteen thousand Jews were rounded up in Paris, eventually to be forcibly deported to the death camps in Poland. But this act of genocide was not carried out by the Nazis, but by the Parisians fellow citizens...

The Roundup (2010) details the tragedy of the Parisian Jews. The movie was written and directed by Rose Bosch.

The film opens with black and white footage of the Germans in Paris, setting the scene that the events occur during the Vichy government after France had fallen. The film was based on first-hand accounts and records of the time.

The film is told from the perspectives of the families involved, so it is fitting that the first child we meet is Joseph Weismann (Hugo Leverdez), one of the few children who were destined to escape from the camps, the real Joseph even appears in the film. The role of everyman, or in this case everywoman, is played by Annette (Melanie Laurent), a newly qualified nurse who would go to help tend to the families, initially when they are rounded up and held in a large stadium, the Vel d’Hiv Stadium. She later followed them to the camp in France but was not allowed to accompany her young charges to the death camps.

What makes the film more disturbing than even Schindler's List (1993) is that for the most part the Germans, although they requested the Jews, were not involved in their arrest, detention or deportation; we are more used to invaders persecuting us than we are our neighbours and friends. Although some Parisians tried to help, the partisans eventually hid ten thousand Jews, and there are acts of kindness from some officials who, although disagree with what is happening, could not, at that time have conceived the families ultimate fate.

The film hinges on your belief, partially in Annette, but mostly on the very young cast playing the children; unfortunately they are heartbreakingly realistic, including Mathieu & Romain Di Concerto (Nono). At the stadium Annette does what she can to improve the condition of thirst and starvation, under a Jewish Doctor, David Sheinbaum (Jean Reno), himself aware of his own ultimate fate. Eventually the families are torn apart and Joseph makes his escape with another child, leaving behind all of his other friends and his own family.

There is an oddity in the film. For the most part, the set design and period costumes are excellent, the acting superb, but during the story it keeps switching back to Hitler, who apart from enjoying some time with Aryan children seems to add little extra, unless we are to feel that the juxtaposition of the children of the Nazi’s and the Children of Jewish families further highlights the injustice of the latter’s situation. If so, it’s a moot point, as any reasonable person would think that being gassed in a concentration camp was pretty much the worst thing that could happen to you.

There was an odd problem with the disc provided, although the menu’s worked, once the film started it was impossible to skip ahead, I changed the batteries on the remote and even tried it in a couple of other machines all with the same results.

The film is presented with audio options for either a 2.0 or 5.1 audio track, though to get the best of the haunting music, its best to go for the 5.1. There is only a single extra the ‘Making of’ (26 min, 29 sec) which not only has the director talking about the film but also the real Joseph Weismann talking about his experiences. One of the things which did worry me was when the children were being directed the crew virtually lied to them about what was happening, I suppose it was to protect the young actors, but you still got the feeling that this was still a difficult subject to talk about in France, especially as most of the Parisians who helped to exterminate the Jews would still have their own children still living. Sometimes it’s best not to ask what your dad did in the war.

It may not be as arty as Schindler's List, but this harrowing film is just as powerful.

8

Charles Packer