We conclude another September film festival season with a look at Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit.
Adapted from the novel Caging Skies by Christine Leunens, Jojo Rabbit is the story of Johannes “Jojo” Betzler, a 10-year-old member of Hitler’s Youth. It is the final months of World War II and Jojo enthusiastically supports the war and his country. He has comforting talks with his imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler. But then Jojo is injured in an accident at camp, and then discovers his mother has been hiding a Jewish girl in their house. Jojo’s life is turned upside down as he starts to learn to see the humanity in others, and begins to see through his own blind fanaticism.
Taika Waititi wrote and directed the film, and also stars as Imaginary Adolf. Roman Griffin Davis is Jojo, Scarlett Johansson plays his mother Rosie, and Thomasin McKenzie is Elsa. The cast also includes Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Alfie Allen, Stephen Merchant, and Archie Yates.
Jojo Rabbit premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2019 where it won the Audience Award. The film continued to appear at several additional festivals throughout the fall before opening in theaters nationwide. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Waititi won the Oscar for Adapted Screenplay.
In his acceptance speech, Waititi said, “This is really great and I dedicate this to all the indigenous kids who live in the world who want to do art and dance and write stories. We are the original storytellers. And we can make it here as well. Thank you. Kia ora.”