Lore

Lore

Year: 2013

Runtime: 109 min

Language: German

Director: Cate Shortland

DramaThrillerWar

Near the end of World War II, Lore, a young and fiercely loyal teenager, must guide her siblings across a devastated Germany. As they journey toward their parents, they are confronted with the horrifying reality of the Nazi regime and the suffering it has caused. Their perilous escape forces Lore to question everything she has ever known and to confront her prejudices when she is unexpectedly aided by a mysterious refugee, a person she has been taught to despise.

Lore (2013) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Lore (2013) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the waning days of World War II, a shattered Germany becomes a bleak landscape of ruined towns, endless forests, and uncertain borders. The atmosphere hangs heavy with the echo of defeat, yet a fragile hope lingers in the cold air as families cling to the possibility of reunion. Against this backdrop, the film follows a solitary trek through a country still trembling from the collapse of a regime, where every road leads both outward and deeper into the past.

At the heart of the story is Lore, a teenage girl whose fierce loyalty to her siblings propels her into the role of reluctant guide. With her parents gone and her world reduced to a handful of loved ones, she bears the weight of responsibility far beyond her years. Her determination is tempered by the harsh reality of scarcity and the unsettling knowledge that the world she once knew is irrevocably altered. The film paints her inner conflict with a quiet intensity, showing how survival can reshape identity and belief.

As the siblings move toward a distant hope of safety, they encounter a mysterious refugee—someone whose very existence challenges everything Lore has been taught to fear. This enigmatic presence introduces a subtle tension, hinting at hidden stories and unexpected alliances in a landscape where trust is a scarce commodity. The interplay between Lore’s ingrained prejudices and the refugee’s ambiguous motives creates a simmering undercurrent that drives the narrative forward.

The tone balances stark realism with a lyrical sense of yearning, capturing the desolation of a war‑torn country while also illuminating the stubborn resilience of youth. Through somber vistas and intimate moments, the film invites viewers to contemplate the cost of loyalty, the complexity of prejudice, and the fragile threads that bind a family together when the world around them is falling apart.

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 13:28

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Harrowing survival journeys like in Lore

Desperate treks across war-torn lands that shatter innocence and beliefs.Discover movies like Lore that follow characters on desperate, morally complex journeys through war-torn or broken worlds. If you liked Lore's grim trek across Germany, these survival stories feature high emotional weight, dark tones, and a focus on the loss of innocence.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a linear but arduous journey, using the physical traversal of a devastated setting as a metaphor for a psychological and ethical unravelling. The protagonist begins with a certain worldview, which is systematically dismantled by the horrors they witness and the compromises they must make to survive.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a focus on survival as a crucible for moral transformation. They combine high-intensity physical danger with the heavy emotional weight of confronting atrocity and complicity, resulting in a deeply unsettling and thought-provoking experience.

Movies about shattered ideologies like Lore

Stories where characters must face the horrific truth of their own side.Find films similar to Lore, where a character's belief system collapses under the weight of horrific truths. If you were fascinated by Lore's confrontation with Nazi crimes, these stories explore dark themes of prejudice, complicity, and the heavy cost of realizing you were on the wrong side.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative arc is primarily psychological. A catalyst event—often proximity to violence or an encounter with a victim—forces the protagonist to see the evil their side has perpetuated. The conflict is internal, a battle between ingrained indoctrination and the undeniable evidence of suffering, resulting in a mixed or bleak resolution with no easy answers.

Why These Movies?

These movies are united by the core theme of a devastating reckoning with one's own identity and upbringing. They share a dark, somber tone, heavy emotional weight, and a focus on the unsettling process of deconstructing deep-seated prejudice and acknowledging complicity.

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Lore Summary

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Lore Summary

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Lore Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Lore

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Lore

More About Lore

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