Waiting for Anya 2020

In the scorching summer of 1942, beneath the oppressive weight of World War II’s shadow looming over occupied France, a small village in the Pyrenees desperately clings to its fragile sense of normalcy. In this environment, Benjamin, a devoted father, embarks on a treacherous journey alongside his young daughter, Anya, seeking refuge on a train aimed at liberation. Yet, the heart-wrenching separation is just the beginning of their ordeal.

In a charming farmstead surrounded by lush hills, the widowed Horcada and her son-in-law, Benjamin, hide a dangerous secret: a group of Jewish children concealed from the watchful gaze of the Nazi occupation. As the war rages relentlessly on, Benjamin’s urgent quest to reunite with his daughter is made all the more challenging by his duty to protect these innocent lives. With the unwavering support of his mother-in-law and Horcada herself, he hatches daring plans to execute escapes through perilous mountain passes, only to repeatedly clash with relentless German patrols.

Into this dire situation steps Jo, a fearless young shepherd, whose strong sense of justice leads him to discover the hidden children while tending his flock. Undaunted by the surrounding peril, Jo resolves to do whatever it takes to assist Benjamin and Horcada in their mission to smuggle the children to safety across the border into Spain. Rallying support from his grandfather, local villagers, and his father—a former German prisoner equipped with invaluable insights into enemy tactics—Jo forges an unexpected alliance with Benjamin and Horcada.

As they traverse the treacherous terrain, the group encounters numerous obstacles and emotional turmoil. When one child falls gravely ill, Benjamin faces the heart-wrenching decision to surrender her to the Germans. However, a sympathetic German officer, tortured by the loss of his daughter in a bombing raid in Berlin, has been aware of their existence all along. His poignant words of sympathy to Jo—> “at least we achieved something”—serve as a bittersweet reminder that even amid the darkest struggles, small acts of compassion can have a significant impact.

As the war eventually draws to a close, the story culminates with the return of Anya, now grown and resilient, to the village. She is warmly embraced by her grandmother and Jo, her brave friend who had risked everything to safeguard her family’s secret during one of history’s most harrowing times.