Jojo Rabbit (Film)

Jojo Rabbit is a 2019 film written and directed by Taika Waititi. The film centers on the story of a young boy living in Nazi Germany during World War II, whose imaginary friend is Adolf Hitler. It is adapted from Christine Leunens’ 2008 novel Caging Skies.

Plot

The film tells the story of Jojo Betzler, a German boy who participates in Hitler Youth camps. Jojo’s closest companion is his imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler. However, Jojo discovers that his mother Rosie is secretly hiding a Jewish girl named Elsa in the attic of their home. This revelation shatters Jojo’s worldview and forces him to confront a profound internal conflict between the racist ideologies he has been taught and the humanity of the person he now knows personally. The film explores Jojo’s struggle to navigate these complex emotions and confront racism.

Production and Release Information

The film was produced in the Czech Republic, New Zealand, the United States, and Germany. Exterior scenes, particularly those set in the main square and the gallows, were filmed in Žatec, Czech Republic. The production companies are Searchlight Pictures, TSG Entertainment, and Defender Films. Although the original title is Jojo Rabbit, the film was released in Türkiye under the title Tavşan Jojo. Its theatrical release date in Türkiye was 31 January 2020, with distribution handled by TME (The Moments Entertainment). The film has a runtime of 1 hour and 48 minutes (108 minutes).

Still from the Film (IMDb)

Creative Team and Cast

Writer and director Taika Waititi also portrays the character of Adolf Hitler, Jojo’s imaginary friend. Roman Griffin Davis plays the lead role of Jojo Betzler, Thomasin McKenzie portrays Elsa, the hidden Jewish girl, and Scarlett Johansson plays Jojo’s mother, Rosie Betzler. Other key cast members include Sam Rockwell (Captain Klenzendorf), Rebel Wilson (Fräulein Rahm), Alfie Allen (Finkel), and Archie Yates (Yorki).

Technical Features and Artistic Approach

The film was shot in color with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The audio mix was prepared in Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos, SDDS, and DTS:X formats. Director Taika Waititi chose to depict Nazi Germany not as dark and grim, as is typical in traditional war films, but as colorful, lively, and fashion-conscious on the surface. This stylistic choice intensifies the film’s satirical tone by creating a stark contrast with the horrific realities beneath.

Still from the Film (IMDb)

Screenings and Reception

The film had its world premiere on 8 September 2019 at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and was released in the United Kingdom on 18 October 2019. It received a rating of 7.9/10 on IMDb from over 476,000 votes. There are 429 critic reviews and a Metascore of 58. The film has won a total of 52 awards, including one Oscar, and received 190 nominations.

Music and Other Details

The film features the song “Komm, gib mir deine Hand” by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Immediately before the closing credits, a quote from a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke appears: “Let everything happen to you / Beauty and terror / Just keep going / No feeling is final.” One notable detail is that in one scene, an incorrect 50-star American flag is briefly shown, but this error is later corrected in a subsequent scene with the historically accurate 48-star flag. The film’s estimated budget was $14,000,000 USD, and its worldwide box office gross was $93,598,180 USD.