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In war-torn times, a poor woodcutter and his wife live in a large forest. One day, a woman finds and rescues a little girl, bringing an irreversible change to the lives of the couple and those whose paths will cross. This is Michel Hazanavicius's first animated film.. World War II is one of the darkest periods in humanity. A time when humanity has just given up on the gray war, when the world has witnessed human cruelty. A time that promised awakening, salvation and peace. The hand of faith has just come upon Europe in its most usual horrific form, a great war and the duty of a lost generation. The world stood still, not because of Shik, or at least not because of what would happen if, but because of what lay beneath. An increasingly bleak future awaits the world’s greatest tragedy yet. Germany was devastated, having just lost the war, the faith of its people and the power of the empire. Revenge for the humiliation was sworn. A few years after this extremely dark period, a humble, old German working couple lived here. The man goes to cut down large trees, and the woman ties small branches. Both spend a hard day’s work to reach a small house in the middle of the forest, where soup and a tired old dog await. Having never had a child, the woman begs for everything she has, having abandoned God or never understood him. She asks the sky, the forest and even the train gods for a train. And one day the train gods answered her prayers. In this empty corner of the forest, the train plowed through the white winter snow, slowly but furiously reaching its terrible destination. And one day the child is thrown from the train so that an old woman in the forest can pick him up. A heartless thing for some, but not for her. What follows is a beautifully crafted tragedy, a story about humanity: the loving power within that rises up and sacrifices itself, and the evil side within that veers and exacts revenge. Borrowing a very comedic style that takes you deep into the heart of the Enchanted Forest, Michel Hanavicius’ animated film, along with its quirky cast of characters and grim World War II setting, is one of the year’s most endearing tearjerkers. A heartbreaking. A beautiful farewell to Jean-Louis Trintient’s illustrious career.