Where Hands Touch 2018

In a desperate bid to escape the suffocating grip of Nazi Germany’s racial hatred during World War II, 16-year-old Leyna (Leyna) finds herself fighting for survival alongside her white mother Kerstin and half-brother Koen. The trio’s existence is marked by constant peril, as Kerstin’s interracial relationship with an African man has made them targets of the Gestapo’s brutal intolerance. Leyna, a product of this forbidden love, bears the weight of racial hatred and persecution.

In search of refuge from the authorities, the family flees to the reluctant sister of Kerstin, hoping to find temporary solace from the war-torn world. However, their brief respite is disrupted when Lutz, a Hitler Youth with a troubled conscience, accidentally knocks Leyna to the ground while riding his bike, leaving her injured and vulnerable. As he nurses his guilt by keeping a watchful eye on Leyna at the factory where Kerstin works, their daily encounters become a poignant reminder of the societal norms that dehumanize Leyna’s existence.

Meanwhile, Koen, Leyna’s younger half-brother, is forced to join the Hitler Youth and begins to internalize the toxic ideologies that fuel the Nazi regime. As he distances himself from his sister, Koen becomes increasingly intolerant of Leyna’s mixed heritage, mirroring the prejudices that have ravaged their family.

Lutz, torn between his loyalty to his father, a high-ranking SS officer, and his growing affinity for Leyna, finds solace in secret trysts with the young woman. Their forbidden love blossoms, culminating in a passionate kiss hidden away from prying eyes. As the war rages on, their illicit romance becomes a beacon of hope amidst the chaos.

However, when Nazi soldiers suddenly storm the streets, searching for anyone deemed “impure,” Leyna’s world is shattered once more. Kerstin is taken away by the authorities, leaving Koen and Leyna without their mother. The once-loving siblings are now consumed by anger, blame, and resentment towards Leyna, who they believe is responsible for their mother’s disappearance.

In a desperate bid to escape the war-torn landscape, Leyna takes Koen to seek refuge with their Aryan aunt, leaving behind the shattered remains of her family and the city that has become a battleground. As they embark on this perilous journey, Leyna must confront the harsh realities of racism, violence, and survival in a world gone mad.

As Leyna approaches the once-trusted haven of Lutz’s quarters, she’s met with a crushing blow: his hasty departure to the warfront, leaving her alone and adrift amidst the uncertainty of Nazi occupation. The harsh reality of her own circumstances soon unfolds as she discovers she’s carrying new life within her womb, a secret she must fiercely guard, having been allegedly sterilized by the oppressive regime. Meanwhile, Lutz finds himself stationed at the very same labor camp where Leyna is being held captive, his initial disgust and dismay giving way to a deep sense of longing as he encounters the gaunt, exhausted version of the woman who once captured his heart. The rekindling of their romance sparks a series of clandestine meetings, during which Lutz becomes acutely aware of Leyna’s pregnancy and implores her to flee with him, seeking to spare her from further suffering and finally be reunited in freedom. However, Leyna remains resolute, acknowledging that any attempt at escape would only seal their fate. The weight of this unspoken understanding hangs heavy as the couple navigates the treacherous landscape of war.

A sudden bombing raid by the Allies provides a fleeting window of opportunity for Lutz to orchestrate an escape with Leyna, but his plan is tragically foiled when he’s discovered and cut down by his own father, who has become consumed by a twisted determination to keep them apart. As Leyna stands frozen in grief, unable to move or process the horror before her, an American soldier eventually arrives to take her away from the scene of devastation. Weeks later, as she recovers in an American displacement camp, heavily pregnant and bearing the scars of her ordeal, Leyna’s fortunes take a miraculous turn when she’s reunited with her mother and brother, bringing solace to her shattered existence.