“White Bird” targets a world in need of kindness and compassion. Adapted from a critically praised graphic novel, it’s set in Nazi-Occupied France during WWII when Jews, the disabled and the mentally ill were targets for elimination.

With a light French accent and earned wisdom, Helen Mirren’s Sara Blum counsels her grandson with her survival story of first love, courage and kindness way back then.

“I call myself  ‘a child of the Second World War’ — I was born after the end of the Second World War,” Mirren, 79, recalled during a Zoom interview. “But the reality of what had actually happened during the war, the totality of it, the Holocaust obviously, but everything! The loss of Russian lives, the unbelievable destruction that was committed on this planet was what I learned about as I grew up.

“First seeing the photographs of the concentration camps, it was so emotional and shocking for me. As a young child it affected me deeply. So I would say that I always want to do projects that remind the world of what humanity is capable of — both in the good and the bad side. And this film so perfectly describes both.

“It’s not just a film of darkness and horror. It’s a film of great lightness. And hope and love. ‘To find the light in the dark’ is very much what the film is about.”

Are Holocaust dramas today intended for teenagers or those in their 20s who may not know anything really about World War II or the Nazis or the Holocaust?

“Very much so. I mean, I hate to use the word ‘education,’ because it sounds dry and kind of something you have to do. And this film is so not that! This film is a journey of emotion and fantasy. And wonder.

“But absolutely, there’s that necessity of reminding the young. You know, if you take a particular road, this is where you can finish up. And I think at this moment in time in particular, it’s incredibly important to share that with young people.”

Mirren’s press day last Friday coincided with the passing of Maggie Smith.  They co-starred in “Gosford Park.”

“Maggie Smith,” she declared, “was certainly one of the greatest English actresses of all time. I became an actress partly because of Maggie Smith, watching her as a student. I used to go into the very cheap seats in the National Theater (this was before it was the National, it used to be a theater called the Old Vic) and watch Maggie Smith. She was my inspiration.

“She stayed my inspiration for my whole career. It’s with great, great sadness that we’ve lost one of the greatest actresses of our culture.”

“White Bird” is in theaters Friday.