The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)

Director:

Mark Herman

Writers:

John Boyne (novel)
Mark Herman (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 November 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | War

Tagline:

A timeless story of innocence lost and humanity found.

Plot:

Set during World War II, a story seen through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a concentration camp, whose forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences.

Plot Keywords:

Concentration Camp | Friend | Friendship | Nazi Concentration Camp | Father Son Relationship

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Asa Butterfield	...	Bruno
Zac Mattoon O'Brien	...	Leon (as Zac Mattoon-O'Brien)
Domonkos Németh	...	Martin
Henry Kingsmill	...	Karl
Vera Farmiga	...	Mother
Cara Horgan	...	Maria
Zsuzsa Holl	...	Berlin Cook
Amber Beattie	...	Gretel
László Áron	...	Lars
David Thewlis	...	Father
Richard Johnson	...	Grandpa
Sheila Hancock	...	Grandma
Charlie Baker	...	Palm Court Singer
Iván Verebély	...	Meinberg
Béla Fesztbaum	...	Schultz
Attila Egyed	...	Heinz
Rupert Friend	...	Lieutenant Kotler
David Hayman	...	Pavel - Jewish servant
Jim Norton	...	Herr Liszt
Jack Scanlon	...	Shmuel
László Nádasi	...	Isaak
László Quitt	...	Kapo #1
Mihály Szabados	...	Kapo #2
Zsolt Sáfár Kovács	...	Kapo #3 Sonderkommando
Gábor Harsai	...	Elderly Jewish Man (as Gábor Harsay)

Directed by
Mark Herman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Boyne		novel
Mark Herman		screenplay

Produced by
Rosie Alison	....	co-producer
Mark Herman	....	executive producer
David Heyman	....	producer
Christine Langan	....	executive producer
Mary Richards	....	line producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Benoît Delhomme		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Michael Ellis

Casting by
Leo Davis
Pippa Hall

Production Design by
Martin Childs

Art Direction by
Rod McLean		(supervising art director)
Razvan Radu		(as Rázvan Radu)
Szilvia Ritter
Mónika Esztán		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Gábor Nagy

Costume Design by
Natalie Ward

Makeup Department
Jacqueline Bhavnani	....	hair stylist
Jacqueline Bhavnani	....	makeup artist
Hildegard Haide	....	makeup artist
Marese Langan	....	hair designer
Marese Langan	....	makeup designer
Erzsébet Rácz	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Tania Blunden	....	post-production supervisor
István Király	....	unit manager
Gyorgy Kuntner	....	production manager (as Gyõrgy Kuntner)
Mary Richards	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Monika Bota	....	additional assistant director: crowd (as Mónika Bóta)
Heidi Gower	....	third assistant director
Zsuzsa Gurban	....	co-first assistant director (as Zsuzsa Gurbán)
Martin Harrison	....	first assistant director
Bernadett Lõvey	....	third assistant director
István Pocsai	....	third assistant director
Chris Stoaling	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Sándor Bognár	....	stand-by construction
Barna Brill	....	construction manager
Péter Brill	....	construction manager
István Busa	....	swing gang
Bálint Diószegi	....	property buyer
Peter Gantner	....	assistant set decorator (as Péter Gantner)
Attila Horváth	....	stand-by construction
Gábor Hutter	....	swing gang
János Jován	....	set builder
Gábor Kiss	....	set builder
Géza Kotán	....	painter
Balázs Kovács	....	stand-by propman
Balázs Kovács	....	swing gang
István Kovács	....	swing gang
Tibor Lucza	....	painter
László Mohovics	....	swing gang
Sándor Nagy	....	stand-by property master
László Németh	....	painter
David Packard	....	scenic artist
Zoltán Pamuk	....	painter
Gábor Posevitz	....	property master
Sándor Rád	....	set builder
Ferenc Simiglai	....	painter
István Szabó	....	set builder
Kinga Szabó	....	art department coordinator
Károly Turzai	....	painter
Zoltán Varga	....	swing gang
István Zsolnai	....	painter
Catherine Byrne	....	art department researcher (uncredited)

Sound Department
Peter Burgis	....	foley artist (as Pete Burgis)
John Casali	....	sound mixer
Andie Derrick	....	foley artist (as Andi Derrick)
Joe Gallagher	....	dialogue editor
Rodney Glenn	....	supervising sound editor
Attila Kohári	....	cable man
Jerome McCann	....	sound playback operator
Mark Paterson	....	sound re-recording mixer
György Rajna	....	boom operator
Adrian Rhodes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ed Colyer	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Glen Gathard	....	assistant foley mixer (uncredited)
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Gábor Balog	....	standby special effects technician
János Berki	....	standby special effects technician
Ferenc Kardos	....	special effects supervisor
Gyula Krasnyánszky	....	pyrotechnician
Ferenc Ormos	....	special effects supervisor
György Solymosi	....	standby special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Louie Alexander	....	retouch and restoration: Framestore-CFC
Simon Allmark	....	visual effects editorial: Double Negative
Ben Baker	....	head of digital lab: Framestore-CFC (as Effandi Bin Mohamed)
Adrian Banton	....	2d supervisor: Double Negative
Miles Drake	....	visual effects editorial: Double Negative
Mohamed Effandi	....	visual effects artist: Double Negative (as Effandi Bin Mohamed)
Michael Bruce Ellis	....	visual effects supervisor: Double Negative (as Mike Ellis)
Gavin Gregory	....	visual effects coordinator: Double Negative
Edwina Jamieson	....	retouch and restoration: Framestore-CFC (as Edwin Jamieson)
David Johnston	....	data operator: Framestore-CFC
Serena Lam	....	visual effects artist: Double Negative
Tracey Leadbetter	....	visual effects producer: Double Negative
Edwin Metternich	....	retouch and restoration: Framestore
Stuart Nippard	....	conform editor: Framestore-CFC
Zelda Tinska	....	visual effects editorial: Double Negative
Jon Veal	....	visual effects artist: Double Negative
Szvák Antal	....	visual effects coordinator: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Matthew Baker	....	retouch and restoration: Framestore-CFC (uncredited)
Zoltán Benyó	....	visual effects producer: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Zachary Bloom	....	scanning and recording: Framestore CFC (uncredited)
Clare Brody	....	data operator: Framestore (uncredited)
Péter Bujdosó	....	matte painting supervisor: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Paul Burke	....	scanning and recording: Framestore (uncredited)
Andy Burrow	....	scanning & recording manager (uncredited)
Dave Calub	....	retouch and restoration: Framestore (uncredited)
Francesca Canducci	....	retouch and restoration: Framestore (uncredited)
Ronan Carr	....	restoration artist: digital restoration (uncredited)
Zoe Cousins	....	scanning and recording (uncredited)
Liana Dunleavy	....	retouch and restoration (uncredited)
Laboncz Edina	....	digital paint and rotoscope artist: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Richard Edwards	....	data operator: Framestore CFC (uncredited)
André Gabriella	....	digital paint and rotoscope artist: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Adam Glasman	....	digital intermediate colourist (uncredited)
Mai Gray	....	retouch and restoration: Framestore (uncredited)
Alistair Hamer	....	film mastering engineer (uncredited)
Pete Hanson	....	studio manager: double negative (uncredited)
Adam Hawkes	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Karsten Hecker	....	film mastering engineer: Framestore CFC (uncredited)
Jan Hogevold	....	executive producer: framestore di (uncredited)
John Inch	....	retouch and restoration (uncredited)
Horváth Gál István	....	rotoscope artist: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Körmöczy Károly	....	rotoscope artist: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Éva Korda	....	rotoscope artist: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Taz Lodder	....	technical support: Double Negative (uncredited)
Esme Long	....	production manager (uncredited)
James Long	....	data operator: Framestore CFC (uncredited)
Kevin Lowery	....	film mastering engineer (uncredited)
Peregrine MacCafferty	....	matchmove artist: Double Negative (uncredited)
Veronica Marcano	....	scanning & recording operator: Framestore (uncredited)
Gurel Mehmet	....	concept artist: Double Negative (uncredited)
Adam Parker	....	retouch and restoration: Framestore (uncredited)
Lee Rankin	....	scanning and recording: Framestore (uncredited)
James Reed	....	scanning and recording (uncredited)
Jimmy Saul	....	scanning and recording (uncredited)
Noémi Somoskövy	....	visual effects coordinator: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Nick Stanley	....	retouch and restoration: Framestore (uncredited)
Maria Stroka	....	senior digital intermediate producer (uncredited)
Mátyás Szabó	....	senior digital artist: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Gábor Székely	....	technical director: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Pál Tauszig	....	digital compositor: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Odean Thompson	....	digital paint and restoration: Framestore (uncredited)
Gábor Tóth	....	lead digital compositor: Cube Effects (uncredited)
Péter Zavorszky	....	visual effects production manager: Cube Effects (uncredited)

Stunts
György Kivés	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ernõ Bacsics	....	rigging electrician
Gyula Balogh	....	rigging electrician
András Bozsár	....	rigging electrician
Zsolt Büti	....	gaffer
István Csehy	....	rigging electrician
Gergely Csepregi	....	focus puller: "b" camera
Zoltán Dzsupin	....	clapper loader: "b" camera
Károly Gál	....	best boy (as Károly Gaál)
Tibor Gazdig	....	electrician
Márton Gregus	....	electrician
István Gyura	....	crane operator
Gábor Inczédy	....	electrician
Tibor Kecskeméti	....	grip
Andy Long	....	gaffer
Dávid Lukács	....	still photographer
László Major	....	electrician
Sándor Major	....	generator operator
Mark Milsome	....	focus puller: "a" camera
Nikolaos Papanikolaou	....	remote head technician
Pal Perlaki	....	grip (as Pál Perlaki)
Alastair Rae	....	Steadicam operator (as Alistair Rae)
György Réder	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Imre Sisa	....	dolly grip
Imre Sisa	....	key grip
Richárd Szeidermann	....	electrician
András Gábor Szöke	....	clapper loader: "a" camera (as András Szõke)
Tamás Takács	....	video assistant
András Tóth	....	best boy
András Tóth	....	dolly grip: second camera
László Tóth	....	rigging electrician
Ádám Turbuk	....	camera trainee
Norbert Kroó	....	camera car assistant (uncredited)
Lengyel Péter	....	light board operator (uncredited)
Attila Pfeffer	....	steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Éva Bajusz	....	casting assistant
Vanessa Baker	....	adr voice casting
Sándor Dénes	....	casting: c rowd
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting
Mariann Kuzmanné Rónay	....	casting: children, Hungary (as Marianne Kuzman)
Veronika Varjasi	....	casting director: Hungary (as Vera Varjasi)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Liza Bracey	....	assistant costume designer
Agnes Forgacs	....	dresser: crowd (as Agnes Forgács)
Enikö Karádi	....	dresser: crowd
Anikó Nagy	....	costume interpreter
Imre Orosz	....	costume supervisor
Péter Palotás	....	dresser: crowd
Orsolya Sallai	....	dresser
Gábor Simkó	....	dresser
Nat Turner	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Turea Blyth	....	digital intermediate editorial
Adam Glasman	....	colorist
Jan Hogevold	....	digital intermediate executive producer
Paul Hyman	....	first assistant editor
Karenjit Sahota	....	trainee assistant editor
Faye Stevens	....	post-production coordinator
Maria Stroka	....	digital intermediate senior producer
Sean Cooney	....	post-production executive (uncredited)

Music Department
Dick Bernstein	....	music editor
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor (as Sandy DeCresent)
Jim Henrikson	....	music scoring supervisor
James Horner	....	musician: piano
Aaron Martin	....	synthesizer programmer
Simon Rhodes	....	music mixer
Simon Rhodes	....	music recordist
Peter Rotter	....	music contractor
Nigel Stone	....	music editor: temp score
Ian Underwood	....	synthesizer programmer
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)
James Horner	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Richard Wheeler Jr.	....	scoring crew (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Zoltán Bai	....	driver: producer
István Bodor	....	driver
Edit Boroznaki	....	driver
Pál Boroznaki	....	driver
Dani Bozsik	....	driver
Feri Farkas	....	driver
Viktor Fülöp	....	driver
András Grúz	....	driver
Sándor Horváth	....	driver
Dani Király	....	driver
Tamás Nagy	....	transportation coordinator
Tibor Nyári	....	driver: props
Jozsef Nyiri	....	driver (as Jósef Nyíri)
Imre Solti	....	driver
Antal Szbára	....	driver
László Szücs	....	driver
Hajnalka Tarján	....	driver
Sándor Vercz	....	driver: director
János Zeve	....	driver: props

Other crew
Gyorgy Bacsatyai	....	legal services: Hungary, Kovari Tercsak Salans Attorneys
Gyõrgy Bajczár	....	catering crew
Zsolt Bajczar	....	catering crew (as Zsolt Bajczár)
Alex Balogh	....	stand-in: Asa Butterfield
Richárd Balogh	....	stand-in: Asa Butterfield
Celia Bannerman	....	acting coach
Libbie Barr	....	script supervisor
Daisy Beattie	....	chaperone
Susan Beattie	....	chaperone
Márk Bedó	....	stand-in: Zac Mattoon-O'Brien
Samantha Black	....	production coordinator
Imre Bodo	....	assistant location manager (as Imre Bodó)
Márk Bogan	....	stand-in: Jack Mattoon-O'Brien
Kristóf Brabanti	....	stand-in: Jack Scanlon
Sam Butterfield	....	chaperone
Márk Csutár	....	double: Henry Kingsmall
Béla Dévényi	....	catering crew
Renáta Dévényi	....	catering crew
Noel Donnellon	....	title sequence producer
Márk Elliott	....	double: Zac Mattoon-O'Brien
Jake Farr	....	chaperone
Mercedesz Forrai	....	stand-in: Amber Beattie
Olivia Fridez	....	stand-in: Amber Beattie
Béla Gajdos	....	armorer
Krisztián Haraszti	....	stand-in: Asa Butterfield
Tarn Harper	....	accountant: post-production
Csaba Harsányi	....	armorer
Ágota Horváth	....	cashier
Márton Ivanov	....	location assistant
Vera Janisch	....	floor production assistant
Barbara Kaltner	....	catering crew
Adrienn Kamarás	....	production secretary
Gabriella Kardos	....	stand-in: Amber Beattie
András Kassai	....	location maintenance (as Andrán Kásai)
John Kaylin	....	dubbing producer
Deepti Khurana	....	legal services: UK, Wiggin LLP
Mandy Kingsmill	....	chaperone
Martin Pályi Kiss	....	double: Domonkos Németh
Zsuzsanna Kõhegyi	....	assistant: Eurofilm Studió
Csilla Koráng	....	location security supervisor
Balázs Kovács	....	crowd marshall
Kinga Kovacs	....	production accountant: Hungary (as Kinga Trimmel-Kovács)
György Kristóf	....	floor production assistant
Levente Lórincz	....	stand-in: Domonkos Németh
Marcell Magyar	....	double: Jack Scanlon
Hajnalka Makk	....	assistant: Mark Herman
Péter Mendel	....	double: Asa Butterfield
Sharon Milton	....	tutor
Péter Miskolczi	....	production services: Hungary, Eurofilm Studió
Valéria Molnár	....	stand-in: Amber Beattie
Charles Moore	....	legal services: UK, Wiggin LLP
Julian Murray	....	first assistant accountant
Lajos Nagy	....	assistant accountant
Till Neumann	....	legal services: Germany, Brehm & von Moers
Mihály Nyíri	....	fire safety
David Z. Obadiah	....	titles sequence producer
Katharine Otway	....	legal services: UK, Wiggin LLP (as Katherine Otway)
Justin Pollard	....	researcher
Stephanie G. Pollard	....	researcher (as Stephanie Pollard)
Martin F. Polyák	....	stand-in: Jack Scanlon
Mark Preston	....	assistant: Mark Herman
Fiona Scanlon	....	chaperone
Peter J. Silbermann	....	unit publicist
Marianna Strommer	....	assistant production coordinator
Richard Szabó	....	facilities manager
Laura Teleki	....	double: Amber Beattie
Tamas Tercsak	....	legal services: Hungary, Kovari Tercsak Salans Attorneys
András Tóth	....	location manager
Patrik Vadai	....	stand-in: Jack Scanlon
Gábor Váradi	....	production services: Hungary, Eurofilm Studió
Zsuzsa Varadi	....	production coordinator (as Zsuzsa Váradi)
Krisztián Varga	....	stand-in: Henry Kingsmill
Joanna Warner	....	chaperone
Evelyn Wenzel	....	researcher: German
Polly Wilby	....	assistant accountant: post-production
Betty Williams	....	financial controller
Nandi Kiss	....	set runner (uncredited)
Gergö Marton	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
János Papp	....	health and safety advisor (uncredited)
Roger Phillips	....	title designer (uncredited)
Oliver Wiseman	....	assistant: mr heyman (uncredited)

Thanks
Tim Corrie	....	special thanks
Harvey Herman	....	special thanks
Joy Herman	....	special thanks
Laura Herman	....	special thanks
David Nochimson	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• BBC Films
• Heyday Films
• Miramax Films

Distributors

• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2008) (UK) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2008) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Andes Films (2009) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2008) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Falcon (2009) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Miramax Films (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Saturn Enternainment (2009) (Slovakia) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2009) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2008) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Gativideo (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Finland (2009) (Finland) (all media)

Special Effects

• Double Negative (visual effects)

Other Companies

• VooDooDog  titles
• Abacus Consult  accounting: audit
• Act One Script Clearance  script clearance
• Alex Rose Wig Company  wigmaker
• Angels the Costumiers  costumes
• Art Resource  archive material provided by
• Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (BSB)  archive material provided by
• Bildarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz  archive material provided by (as Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz)
• Brehm & von Moers  legal services: Germany (as Brehm & v. Moers)
• Budapesti Közlekedési Vállalat  special thanks
• Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv Koblenz  archive material provided by (as Bundesarchiv, Koblenz)
• Cosprop  costumes
• De Lane Lea  sound pre-mixing facility
• Deutsches Historisches Museum Berlin  archive material provided by
• Eastwood Scoring Stage  music recording facility
• Eurofilm Stúdió  production services: Hungary
• Fotoarchiv Hoffmann  archive material provided by
• Framestore CFC  digital intermediate
• Gearbox Sound and Vision  additional ProTools systems supplied by
• Goldcrest Post Production London  final sound mixing faciility
• Granger Collection, The  archive material provided by
• HB Studió  construction services
• HSA Film  health & safety advisor
• Hero Collection  costumes
• HireWorks  Avid equipment rental
• Hungarian TV  costumes
• Koko  catering
• Kovari Tercsak Salans Attorneys  legal services: Hungary
• Károlyi István Gyermekközpont - Fot  special thanks
• London Editing Machines Ltd.  editing equipment
• Mafilm  costumes
• Marionette  extras casting
• Mediacom 24-7  travel agent
• Open Casting  casting
• Oxy-Med  medical services
• PR Filmszerviz  trailers
• Sapex Scripts  post-production scripts
• Shepperton Studios  foley recording facility
• Sound Design Company, The  additional Pro Tools Systems Supplied by
• Theaterkunst  costumes
• Ullsteinbild Archive  archive material provided by (as Ullstein Bild)
• Visual Artefact  historical research
• Wiggin  legal services: UK

Also Known As:

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (USA)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic material involving the Holocaust.

Runtime:

94 min | Israel:93 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44276) | Ireland:12A | UK:12A | Norway:11 | Argentina:16 | Sweden:15 | Australia:M | Netherlands:12 | Brazil:12 | Chile:14 | Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | South Korea:12 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Germany:12 (f) | Hong Kong:IIA | Mexico:B | Japan:PG-12 | New Zealand:M | Peru:14 | Denmark:11 | Austria:12

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

Shot in Budapest, Hungary.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The Germans were using a Shure 55SH in one scene, an iconic American microphone. They would have used Sennheiser or Neumann microphones. They were very proud of their engineering, and pioneered early audio recording technology which is still sought after by collectors and studios.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mother: Hello, sweetheart.
Bruno: Mom, what's going on?
Mother: We're celebrating.
Bruno: Celebrating?
Mother: Mm, your father's been given a promotion.
Gretel: That means a better job.
Bruno: I know what promotion is.
Mother: So we're having a little party to celebrate.
Bruno: He's still going to be a soldier though, isn't he?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Friendship Beyond the Fence (2009) (V)

Soundtrack:

Romantic Violin

Utterly Devastating

My fiancé and I purchased tickets for a special advanced screening of this movie during the Carnegie Film Festival in Dunfermline, Fife. I didn't realise, but we were one of the first people to see it. I will try and not spoil it and keep the review very simple and straight forward.

The film is mainly shot through the eyes of Bruno played by Asa Butterfield growing up in war time Germany during the holocaust. After relocating at the will of the German Army, the film then centres on the friendship between Bruno and Shmuel (Jack Scanlon). I will end it there as I don't wish to spoil the rest of the film.

Putting to one side the fact that everyone has a flawless English accent (which does make it difficult to hate them at first), the cinematics, sound, editing and above all acting are a credit to the British film industry.

Asa Butterfield is fine young actor and I'm sure will be destined for even greater things in the future.

As I mentioned above, I won't give anything away, but I will say that this is the first time I have been to the Cinema and everyone sat quiet right up until the end of the credits.

Please, please see this film. It will remain with you for a long time.