The Island on Bird Street (1997)

In the war-torn landscape of World War II, the story unfolds in the Jewish ghetto of Warsaw, a grim fortress encircled by the Nazi's impenetrable fence, trapping Polish Jews within its desolate walls. Here, we meet Alex, a spirited twelve-year-old boy, his father Stefan, their Uncle Boruch, and Alex's faithful pet mouse, Snow. Their existence is a precarious dance of survival, constantly hiding in the shadows of the bombed-out ghetto to evade the chilling "selection process" where Jews are spirited away to an ominous, unknown fate. One fateful day, the Nazis come, and the remaining Jews, including Alex's family, are herded for transportation. Anticipating this grim eventuality, Alex, guided by an instinct for survival and a promise from Stefan, manages to elude the Nazis' clutches. Left alone in the forsaken ghetto, Alex's world contracts into a solitary fight for survival, scavenging for food and water, seeking refuge for the dreaded moments when the Nazis return to hunt for any remaining Jews. In this forsaken landscape, trust becomes a luxury, and Alex must carefully navigate the thin line between friend and foe among the sparse population of those also hiding in the ghetto's ruins. His journey takes a turn when he befriends Freddy and Henryk, fellow Jews in hiding, who reveal a secret tunnel leading out of the ghetto into the unfenced Warsaw. Faced with a gut-wrenching decision, Alex must choose between the relative safety of the unfenced zone, where hopes of seeing Stefan again are almost non-existent, and the dangerous familiarity of the ghetto, where the Nazis' impending demolition looms like a sword of Damocles, but where the chance of reuniting with his father still flickers. The Island on Bird Street is a poignant exploration of a boy's courage, resilience, and the indomitable power of hope amidst the backdrop of humanity's darkest hour.

The Island on Bird Street is a drama movie featuring Jack Warden.

The Island on Bird Street is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Crackle, Plex, Plex Player, The Roku Channel and Tubi TV and it's also available on Amazon Prime Video.