Forbidden Games 1995

Air attack and loss

In June 1940, a German air attack hits a column of refugees fleeing Paris during the Battle of France, killing Paulette's parents and her pet dog. The tragedy leaves the five-year-old traumatized and alone. This moment sets the darker tone for the story that follows.

Paulette is taken in by Michel's family

Paulette meets ten-year-old Michel Dollé and is taken in by his peasant family. She quickly forms an attachment to Michel and begins to feel safer despite the surrounding devastation. The adults attempt to shield her from the worst of the war.

A shared coping ritual: building a cemetery

To cope with the loss and chaos, the children secretly build a small cemetery among the ruins of an abandoned watermill. They bury Paulette's dog and begin to bury other animals there. They mark the graves with crosses taken from a local graveyard, creating a shrine of sorts in the ruins.

Crosses stolen from the graveyard

The grave crosses are taken from a nearby graveyard, including one that belonged to Michel's brother. The theft links their private grief to the wider war and intensifies the secret burden they carry. The makeshift cemetery becomes both sanctuary and secret duty.

Father suspects a neighbor

Michel's father initially suspects the neighbor stole the crosses from the graveyard. The suspicion fuels tension within the family as they navigate survival and the risk of exposure. The war's chaos makes every small act feel perilous.

The truth about the stolen cross is revealed

Eventually the father discovers that Michel was the thief who took the cross. The revelation strains trust within the Dollé family and threatens Paulette's safety if the truth comes out. The incident underscores how far Michel has gone to protect Paulette amid fear of separation.

Gendarmes come for Paulette

French gendarmes come to the Dollé household to take Paulette away. Michel pleads with his father to spare her from separation and offers to reveal where the crosses are hidden in exchange. The looming threat of removal heightens the emotional stakes for both children.

The broken promise and destruction of crosses

When the father does not keep his promise, Michel destroys the crosses by throwing them into the stream near the watermill. The act ends the private shrine they built and marks a moral compromise in a child’s attempt to shield Paulette. The destruction also leaves them with little to hold onto as the war presses in.

Paulette goes to Red Cross camp

Paulette is sent to a Red Cross camp, separating her from the life she shared with Michel. The move foreshadows a more uncertain future amidst wartime displacement. The camp becomes the new setting for her continued longing and vulnerability.

Paulette's longing for Michel and mother

In the final scenes, Paulette runs toward a crowd at the camp, crying for Michel and then for her mother. The moment emphasizes the powerful bond formed through their shared trauma. It leaves the resolution open, with the war continuing to shape her future.

Memorial ritual amid war

Throughout the story, the makeshift cemetery becomes a space for memory and mourning as the children try to give meaning to their losses. Each grave marks a small, personal story against the vastness of the war. The ritual sustains their connection to each other in difficult times.