In the course of his inquiry, which leads him to visit the small town where his maternal grandparents were arrested in 1944 (a horrific event that Gitai dramatizes heavy-handedly), he uncovers bitter family secrets, the revelation of which, after ninety minutes of generic Euro-cinema, complete with sentimental manipulation and intellectual veneer, drops with a dull thud.

NEWYORKER: One Day You'll Understand

The White House did not immediately respond to an inquiry for an explanation on the timing of the visit.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

He said the visit was a "really positive step forward" in the inquiry.

BBC: Yvonne Fletcher