AceShowbiz - Nestled in an old hotel in the Alps, Nazi Germany is brought vividly to life in The Secret Floor (Das geheime Stockwerk), a captivating time-travel adventure aimed at helping children understand a dark chapter of history. This German-Austrian-Luxembourgish co-production, featuring creative powerhouses like director Norbert Lechner (The Wall Between Us) and scriptwriters Katrin Milhahn and Antonia Rothe-Liermann, stars Silas John, Annika Benzin, and Maximilian Reinwald. The Playmaker handles international sales for this poignant family film, ensuring its global reach.

The story follows 12-year-old Karli, who, after moving to the antiquated Alpine hotel, discovers a magical elevator—a time portal transporting him to 1938. There, he befriends Hannah, a spirited Jewish girl, and Georg, a shoeshine boy. Their bond is tested when Georg is falsely accused of stealing, forcing the children to solve a mystery within the hotel's walls. All the while, the ominous shadow of Nazi Germany begins to loom larger around them, adding a layer of historical tension to their youthful quest. This unique blend of adventure and critical historical context defines the compelling narrative of The Secret Floor.

Shot across evocative former hotels in Austria and Luxembourg, The Secret Floor has already garnered significant international recognition and praise. It captivated audiences at the Zlín Film Festival in Czechia, where it proudly secured the children’s jury award. Further accolades came from Germany’s prestigious Goldener Spatz festival, honoring it for both best feature film and best actor. Its success continued at the renowned Giffoni Film Festival, where it received the coveted Tommy Hilfiger Special Award. Ahead of its much-anticipated screening at the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) on November 9th, director Norbert Lechner offered insights into the film's creation, discussing its origins and how the lingering echoes of the Nazi past surfaced even at recent festival events, underscoring the film's profound and ongoing relevance in contemporary discourse.

The profound concept for The Secret Floor originated from the personal experiences of co-writer Antonia Rothe-Liermann, who grew up in the GDR. Lechner recounted her formative childhood memory: "In school, the eight-year-old children were shown a film about Auschwitz, and she was really shocked and couldn’t sleep for months." This powerful, early encounter with the horrors of the Holocaust profoundly shaped her adult perspective as a scriptwriter. She grappled with the crucial question of "how we can tell children about this time without traumatizing them?" Having previously collaborated on two films, Lechner was instantly captivated by her innovative approach. He expressed his immediate enthusiasm, stating, "when she came up with this idea, I loved it from the first moment," underscoring their shared vision to create a sensitive yet impactful educational tool. Their meticulous research for the film included studying other time-travel classics, with a particular focus on the ingenious mechanics and engaging storytelling of films like the Back to the Future series, ensuring a compelling and accessible journey through history for young viewers while maintaining historical integrity.