Aussi loin que mes pas me portent

It's highly rewarding seeing recent films from the German perspective of events, during WW2. This one concerns the hundreds of thousand of captive German soldiers (at the end and after the war), that were shipped to the Russian Gulags and never seen again. This is the true story of just one individual, who managed to escape and then walk across the whole of the country, to the Iranian border (which took him around three years). He was not only chased by an obsessive camp commander but had to endure, walking through Siberia in temperatures dropping to -40 degrees. You could never have made it up (surely he would have perished) and if this real event had been either an American or a British soldier, he would have indeed been World famous and depicted on stamps. It remains one of the finest testaments of human endeavour and the film does him a rightly so heroic justice. Also to the Jewish man who helped him, with just a sheer kindness.

Clemens Forell, a German Army officer, is captured by the Soviets in World War 2 and sentenced to 25 years in a labour camp in the Eastern part of Siberia. For five years he endures enormous hardship but is determined to see his family again. One day he escapes, commencing an incredible, arduous, danger-filled journey. His former jailer and tormenter, Lieutenant Kamenev, pursues him and is determined to recapture him at any costs.

An incredible tale, based on a true story. At 158 minutes a bit long: the first hour or so, depicting Forell's imprisonment, the inhumane conditions he lives under and the brutality of the guards, is a bit of a slog.

However, once Forell escapes it is incredibly compelling viewing. Initially a pure tale of survival but once he meets people it's also a story of the better angels of human nature. Some wonderfully selfless acts.

In addition to showing Forell's trials and tribulations we see Kamenev's efforts to recapture him. This heightens the tension as we have a deadly game of cat and mouse. The final confrontation between the two is a bit cheesy though.

An incredibly emotional final scene rounds off a great movie.

Atlast the wait is over, we see a German POW portrayed in good sense,up against all obstacles,hurdles a human could ever tolerate.Its about Clemens Forell(POW)making his way all through the feet to him hometown. I donna want to spoil the plot by detailing the events.

The film scores in its background & theme music,adds Chilling effect to the frozen sheet.The exotic locations is visual treat for eyes. Irina Pantaeva locks you in her charm and beauty.Even though the film ends in a positive note,you will suffer from the DISTANT WALK.This film made me look beyond the horizon Hollywood, and ignited a liking for German movies.A great movie if you have the TIME. If you like this movie you will also like THE GREAT ESCAPE(pow classic)

I had the great pleasure of seeing this film at the 2001 Houston Int'l film fest and spoke briefly with the director. This is an exceptional film both in terms of subject and technical production. For far too long the German heroes of world war two, ordinary family man who's lives were destroyed by Hitler's war machine as thoroughly as those the German's invaded, have been considered guilty by association. As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me, a film version of an equally excellent book, tells the true story of one man and his struggle both during the war and in a Russian concentration camp, and his ensuing decades long struggle to rejoin his family. While the film does stray from reality, it does so to great dramatic effect (the scene on the bridge). I have been pining for four years now to get my hands on a copy of this film for my home collection. If you ever get a chance to watch this film it is one of the best war films you will ever see.

A revolution took place and the german media never mentioned it: Except from some ignorant right wingers the general media was not willing to comment on this first major production on the topic of german prisoners of war. The original version from the fifties and the book are interesting - this movie is watchable for a big public. I appreciate the courage of the moviemakers to touch this forbidden legacy of germany. Great, heartbreaking cinema, that leaves you in tears at the end - as far as I am concerned.