This film runs on two parallel tracks. In 1938-39, young British stockbroker Nicholas Winton volunteers to spend one week in Prague helping the refugee organization there organize their files. He found children who had fled Germany or German-occupied Sudetenland, and decided that he needed to get them out to Britain. That involved finding foster parents, getting visas from initially reluctant bureaucrats, and raising money, not just for the trip, but a deposit for returning the children "when it was safe to do so". It ended when Britain declared war on Germany, and a British visa became worthless as protection against German authorities.
The other track is in 1987, when Nicky hands over his Prague scrapbook to a researcher. It included the photographs, names, and last known addresses of the children. The information went to a normally-fluffy British TV show, where Nicky was introduced to one of his "children" the show had found. That led to a follow-up show after many other "Nicky's children" contacted the TV show.
This story has been the subject of at least one documentary, but not yet brought to life as a drama. The cinematography was interesting, in that the color palette could immediately inform the viewer of the time period of the story. The 1987 scenes have the bigger stars, but the 1939 scenes form the bulk of the film, and are far more gripping.
I saw this at the world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Due the the actors' strike, the actors were not present, but they managed to assemble maybe a dozen of Nicky's children to see their own story on the screen.
The other track is in 1987, when Nicky hands over his Prague scrapbook to a researcher. It included the photographs, names, and last known addresses of the children. The information went to a normally-fluffy British TV show, where Nicky was introduced to one of his "children" the show had found. That led to a follow-up show after many other "Nicky's children" contacted the TV show.
This story has been the subject of at least one documentary, but not yet brought to life as a drama. The cinematography was interesting, in that the color palette could immediately inform the viewer of the time period of the story. The 1987 scenes have the bigger stars, but the 1939 scenes form the bulk of the film, and are far more gripping.
I saw this at the world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Due the the actors' strike, the actors were not present, but they managed to assemble maybe a dozen of Nicky's children to see their own story on the screen.