Bronze - Land of Mine

Oscar Tidbit: Land of Mine Denmark film nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in 2017. It competed against. The Salesman – winner (Iran), A Man Called Ove (Sweden), Tanna (Australia) and Toni Erdman (Germany). A very strong category in 2017!

This film starkly shows that in war, both sides can commit horrendous acts and behave inhumanely. Hiroshima is often cited as a classic example, but Land of Mine reveals a lesser-known war crime committed by Europeans against Nazi soldiers. After World War II, Denmark’s coast, one of the most heavily mined areas in Europe, with more than two million mines left behind — became the stage for a grim mission: German soldiers were forced to clear these mines, resulting in the deaths of many.

At the heart of the story is Sgt. Rasmussen, tasked with overseeing 14 terrified German boys, most looked to be 15 and 17 years old, drafted in the war’s final days. Their job is to defuse hidden bombs buried in the sand, where one wrong move could cost a life or a limb.

This film can be praised on many levels: strong acting, a sharp script, and stunning cinematography. But its greatest achievement is the emotional depth it brings to the human cost of war — and the moral complexity of revenge and forgiveness. The story begins violently and never lets you relax, even its quietest moments.

The film powerfully portrays Rasmussen’s inner struggle between blind patriotic duty and his emerging compassion for these boys, the enemy. War and recruitment always come wrapped in propaganda, promises of heroism, victory, and honor — easy bait for boys too young to grasp the horrors they’ll face.

Maybe I’m more sensitive to the struggles of boys and young men now that I have a son of my own — seeing that same innocence in his eyes makes this film hit even harder. Land of Mine is a brutal watch but an unforgettable one, a stark reminder of how war destroys lives long after the fighting stops.