Set in the Netherlands during the last year of World War II, Winter in Wartime follows a plucky teen as he helps and harbors a downed RAF pilot hiding in the woods, watches as his father, the town's mayor, tries to conciliate and placate the Nazis, and gets drawn into dangerous Resistance intrigue via a visiting uncle.
A compelling coming-of-age story with a dramatic and historic backdrop, director Martin Koolhoven's handsome film is an adaptation of a 1970s young-adult novel. While it sometimes plays like an old-style boys' adventure yarn - the suspense is ratcheted up with timely misfortunes and improbable acts of derring-do - Winter in Wartime benefits from top-notch production values and a sturdy performance from its young lead, Martijn Lakemeier.
