In the Nazi-occupied Netherlands, a teenage boy gets involved in the Dutch Resistance after coming to the aid of a wounded RAF pilot.

Near the end of World War II, 14-year-old Michiel becomes involved with the Resistance after coming to the aid of a wounded British soldier. With the conflict coming to an end, Michiel comes of age and learns of the stark difference between adventure fantasy and the ugly realities of war.

One of 2008's biggest hits in its native Netherlands, where it outgrossed Videvik (2008) and Pimeduse rüütel (2008).

The novel was originally aimed more at children. Director Martin Koolhoven decided to make the film with a more mature audience in mind.

The majority of the movie was filmed in Lithuania due to the absence of snow in the Netherlands. Artificial snow was used in some of the scenes that were filmed in the Netherlands, and digital snow was sometimes added in post-production.

WILHELM SCREAM: During the chase scene with the horse carriage in the woods, the famous 'Wilhelm scream' can be heard when the German buggy with the two soldiers collapse and crashes.

Was voted best Dutch movie of 2008 by the Dutch Press.

The author of the original novel 'Oorlogswinter', Jan Terlouw, was formerly the Dutch deputy Prime Minister.

The Netherlands' official submission to 82nd Academy Award's Foreign Language in 2010. Made the shortlist of 9 films.

In the shot of the marketplace seen through the bell tower, the bell tower was a digital effect since no such building was present there.

The wrecked aircraft that the pilot escaped from was a De Havilland Mosquito, a versatile light bomber. Since he crashed at night, he was probably on a pathfinder mission, dropping target locating flares for the heavy bombers. Although Mosquitos were extensively employed as night fighters, the camouflage of the wrecked aircraft would suggest it was from a bomber squadron, since British night fighters were painted all black.

Being a fan of the spaghetti western genre, director Martin Koolhoven casted German character actor Dan van Husen as Auer. Van Husen started his acting career in Italy, acting in over 20 spaghetti westerns.

Volkskrant readers voted the movie in the top 10 of best movies of 2008, becoming the highest Dutch movie in the list.

Director Martin Koolhoven has talked in interviews about how some spaghetti westerns influenced the movie. The introduction of Ben (played by Yorick van Wageningen) is similar to the introduction of Cheyenne (played by Jason Robards) in Ükskord Metsikus Läänes (1968) in the sense that the lead first hears the approaching character, which has a mystifying effect. Then the character is seen, but his eyes are covered by his hat, through a movement of the head of the actor, the eyes of the character are shown, completing the mythologizing effect. Koolhoven has also talked about the influence of Il grande silenzio (1968) and Mannaja (1977) on the movie.

The Dutch audience awarded it with the 'TV Krant Filmposter Award' of 2008.

Was voted Best Dutch Film of 2008 by The Circle of Dutch Film Journalists.

In the original novel, uncle Ben escapes, but gets killed anyway when he stands too close to an explosion. Martin Koolhoven decided to change this to Michiel (Martijn Lakemeier) being forced to kill him, with the blessing of writer Jan Terlouw who based the novel on his own childhood wartime experiences.