Left Luggage

REVIEW
Chaja (Fraser) is a 20-year-old philosophy student in 1972 Antwerp, caught up in the spontaneous rebellion and heady revolutionary fervor of the time. She finds no relevance in her Jewish heritage; her father's (Schell) obsession to find two suitcases he buried in flight during the war is just a baffling idiosyncrasy to her. She's brought back to her father's world when she becomes nanny to the Kalmans, a family of Hassidic Jews. Initially in conflict with the strict household rules, she stays to form a supportive bond with the mother (Rossellini) and a loving affection for the quiet, four-year-old Simcha. In bringing Simcha out of his shell, Chaja develops a deeper connection to her roots; and she experiences a profound loss that deepens her understanding of her father and his luggage. This is actor Krabbé's first directorial effort, and it is quite successful, evidencing a warm humanity and a supple ease with the filmmaking process.