Truth and Treason Trailer, Fun Facts & Review
Truth and Treason Synopsis:
Truth & Treason tells the true story of 16-year-old Helmuth Hübener, a German teenager in 1941 who, after witnessing the Nazi regime's atrocities and the complicity of his community leaders, realizes that loyalty to his country means loyalty to a lie. Fueled by forbidden BBC radio broadcasts, Helmuth uses his literary skills to write and distribute highly subversive, anti-Nazi leaflets across Hamburg, recruiting his two close friends, Karl-Heinz Schnibbe and Rudi Wobbe, to join his cause. As the Gestapo launches a relentless hunt for the young resistance fighters, Helmuth is forced to choose between submission to fear and risking everything to uphold the truth against the overwhelming tyranny.
Genre: Drama, Thriller, War
Release Date: In theaters October 17th, 2025
Truth and Treason Fun Facts:
The Youngest Resistance Fighter:
The movie is based on the true story of Helmuth Hübener. At age 17, he became the youngest German resistance fighter executed by the Nazis' People's Court for treason, simply because he exposed their lies.
Original Title:
The original title was Truth & Conviction for a limited series and was later changed to Truth & Treason to reflect the movie title.
Forbidden News:
Helmuth began his resistance after his brother smuggled him a radio that could receive forbidden news from the BBC and other foreign broadcasts. The act of listening to this forbidden news alone was punishable by death.
A Religious Conflict:
Helmuth and his two friends, Karl-Heinz Schnibbe and Rudi Wobbe, were all dedicated members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon church). Helmuth's struggle became harder when his local church leader decided to support the Nazi regime. This forced Helmuth to choose between obeying his church leader and following his own moral conscience.
The Leaflets:
Helmuth loved to write, and he used his writing skills to create his anti-Nazi messages. He typed about 60 different leaflets, which he and his friends risked their lives to distribute in public places like phone booths and letterboxes throughout Hamburg.
A Touch of Authenticity:
To capture the authenticity of wartime Germany, the entire movie was filmed in Lithuania.
Truth and Treason Review:
Truth & Treason is a captivating historical drama that tells the true story of Helmuth Hübener, the youngest person executed by the Nazi regime for resistance. Directed by Matt Whitaker, this movie successfully combines elements of a traditional World War II biography with a warning that is relevant to modern times, highlighting the bravery of one young man standing up for what is right against a foundation based on lies.
The film focuses on a 16-year-old named Helmuth Hübener (Ewan Horrocks) who resides in Hamburg, Germany, at the beginning of World War II. As a loyal follower of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Helmuth faces challenges regarding his sense of patriotism, but certain occurrences lead him to lose his trust in the government. When his Jewish friend is taken by the authorities and his church is taken over by Nazi beliefs, Helmuth starts to doubt everything he once believed.
His realization came sooner when he began secretly listening to forbidden BBC radio broadcasts on an illegal shortwave radio. Understanding the complete nature of Nazi propaganda and war atrocities, Helmuth taps into his talent for writing to create, print, and spread more than 60 anti-Nazi leaflets throughout Hamburg. He is accompanied by his friends Karl and Rudi in this risky, rebellious act.
The movie effectively creates a noticeable sense of suspense while Helmuth and his friends carry out their covert mission. The ordinary nature of their daily lives stands in sharp contrast to the dangerous risks of what they are doing. Ewan Horrocks gives a remarkable performance, portraying Helmuth with a strong, calm determination that keeps the film grounded.
Where the movie really excels is in the second half, which highlights Helmuth's arrest and questioning by Gestapo officer Erwin Mussener, who is portrayed with complex emotions by Rupert Evans. The tension between the innocent yet unwavering teenager and the troubled officer delivers the film's deepest emotional impact. Helmuth stands firm in his principles, insisting that he is just "speaking the truth."
Truth & Treason uses a typical storyline but clearly shows the brutal reality of the Nazi regime and depicts scenes of intense violence and interrogation. Importantly, it looks into how faith can motivate people to resist, but it also points out that religion can be twisted to support wrongdoing. It is a thoughtful and powerful drama that highlights the ultimate cost of standing up against the tyranny and the need to pursue truth in a time filled with misinformation.