Toyland main backdrop
Toyland main poster

7.2/10 • 62

2007-08-290h 13m

DramaWar

1942: what happens when a German kid believes that his Jewish neighbors are going to Toyland?

On a winter morning, a mother goes to waken her son Heinrich; his bed is empty. She leaves her flat to find him. The neighbors' door, with a Star of David painted on it, is ajar, the furnishings in disarray, the family gone. She asks passersby, runs to the police then on to the rail yard. Flashbacks show that Heinrich and the neighbors' son Paul are six years old and best friends. Paul's family's deportation is expected soon; Heinrich's mother tells her son that they're going to Toyland. Heinrich wants to go with them, has a bag packed, and listens for their departure. His mother realizes he's joined them, and her resolve becomes more urgent. Will she arrive in time to save Heinrich?

Directors
Jochen Alexander Freydank
Editors
Anna Kappelmann

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Julia Jäger

    Julia Jäger

    Marianne

  2. Cedric Eich

    Cedric Eich

    Heinrich

  3. David C. Bunners

    David C. Bunners

    Obersturmführer

  4. Torsten Michaelis

    Torsten Michaelis

    Herr Silbertein

  5. Claudia Hübschmann

    Claudia Hübschmann

    Frau Silberstein

  6. Gregor Weber

    Gregor Weber

    SS-Mann Werner

  7. Jürgen Trott

    Jürgen Trott

    Schutzpolizist

  8. Klaus-Jürgen Steinmann

    Klaus-Jürgen Steinmann

    Blockwart

  9. Matthias Paul

    Matthias Paul

    Gestapo Mann

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Mar 22, 2024

7/10

Potently seen through the eyes of two young boys, the rise of Nazi-ism is depicted as "David" (Tamay Bulut Ozvatan), a Jew, and his family must make preparations for a trip whilst the mother of the other (Julia Jäger) must make preparations to lie to her son about just what is going on in their country now. They boys have no appreciation of the dangers and so armed with his bear "Little Paul" the two insist on travelling together. Can his mother track down "Heinrich" (Cedric Eich) before it's too late? It's chilling, this film - not just the effects of the snow on the ground but these ghastly yellow stars stitched like targets upon the clothing of the unwilling travellers. The boys think they are going to "Toyland".... Scary stuff well presented with an effective minimum of dialogue.

Media

  • Toyland poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
German
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
winterflashbacklittle boyanti-semitismneighborsoldier1940sworryshort film