Defiance
Freedom begins with an act of defiance!loading...
On the run and hiding in the deep forests of the then German occupied Poland and Belorussia (World War II), the three Bielski brothers find the impossible task of foraging for food and weapons for their survival. They live, not only with the fear of discovery, contending with neighboring Soviet partisans and knowing whom to trust but also take the responsibility of looking after a large mass of fleeing Polish Jews from the German war machine. Women, men, children, the elderly and the young alike are all hiding in makeshift homes in the dark, cold and unforgiving forests in the darkest times of German occupied Eastern Europe.
In 1941, in Belorussia, the Jewish Bielski brothers succeed in escaping from the massacre of the German in their village where their parents were killed. They hide in the woods and sooner other runaway Jews join them. Tuvia Bielski, the eldest brother, assumes the leadership of the survivors and plans a camp with tasks for everyone in the community; however, his brother Zus Bielski wants to fight against the Germans and does not agree with Tuvia’s directions. Zus decides to join the Russian resistance that believes that Jews do not fight. While Tuvia welcomes any survivor in his camp with his two younger brothers and fight for food and ammunition, Zus finds anti-Semitism among the Russian partisans.
After the Nazi invasion of Poland in September 1939, the Bielski brothers escape the slaughter and hide in the woods. Soon they are joined by many others, all running from the savagery being inflicted on the Jews. The eldest of the Bielski brother, Tuvia and Zus, disagree over what to do with the growing forest population. Tuvye believes that they must welcome anyone who wants to join them while Zus thinks they should be fighting the Germans. After a major falling out, Zus joins the local Russian partisans – with whom the Bielskis had already completed an informal truce – and Tuvia stays with their forest community.
Director
Edward Zwick
Writer
Clayton Frohman, Edward Zwick, Nechama Tec
Producer
Pieter Jan Brugge as producer , Clayton Frohman as co-producer , Marshall Herskovitz as executive producer , Alisa Katz as associate producer (as Alisa S. Katz), Troy Putney as associate producer , Roland Tec as co-producer , Gary Tuck as line producer: Lithuania , Edward Zwick as producer , Alex Boden as producer: pick-ups (uncredited) , Andrew Litvin as line producer: pick-ups (uncredited)
Casting
Daniel Craig as Tuvia Bielski, Liev Schreiber as Zus Bielski, Jamie Bell as Asael Bielski, Alexa Davalos as Lilka Ticktin, Allan Corduner as Shimon Haretz, Mark Feuerstein as Isaac Malbin, Tomas Arana as Ben Zion Gulkowitz, Jodhi May as Tamara Skidelsky, Kate Fahy as Riva Reich, Iddo Goldberg as Yitzhak Shulman, Iben Hjejle as Bella, Martin Hancock as Peretz Shorshaty, Ravil Isyanov as Viktor Panchenko, Jacek Koman as Konstanty 'Koscik' Kozlowski, George MacKay as Aron Bielski, Jonjo O'Neill as Lazar, Sam Spruell as Arkady Lubczanski, Mia Wasikowska as Chaya Dziencielsky, Mark Margolis as Jewish Elder, Markus von Lingen as German SS Scout, Rolandas Boravskis as Gramov, Algirdas Dainavicius as Motl Lubczanski, Aurelija Prashuntaite as Rachel (as Aurelija Prasmuntaite), Vidas Petkevicius as Avram Rubinski, Ina Frismanaite as Avram's Daughter, Ana Goldberg as Lila, Rimante Valiukaite as Miriam, Leonardas Pobedonoscevas as Jacov, Kristina Bertasiute as Dark Haired Beauty, Kristina Skokova as Red Haired Woman, Remigijus Bilinskas as Pinchas Zuckerman, Rimgaudas Karvelis as Oppenheim, Janina Matiekonyte as Well-Dressed Woman (as Janina Matekonyte), Leonas Ciunis as Accountant, Aleksandr Zila as Chaya's Father, Iveta Nadzeikiene as Chaya's Mother, Clayton Frohman as Isadore Skidelsky, Marc Levy as Yechael Efrati, Zoe Rosenblum as Sarah Oppenheim, Sakalas Uzdavinys as Lova Volkin, Saulius Janaviciu as Israel Kotler (as Saulius Janavicius), Leonid Kotik as Krensky (as Leonidas Kotikas), Dalia Smalskiene as Rosa, Tadas Kavaliauskas as Levine, Matas Cancingeris as Little Boy, Diana Aneviciute as Koscik's Wife (as Diana Aneviciute-Valiusaitiene), Sigitas Rackys as Belarussian Police Captain, Vaidas Kublinskas as Police Captain's Son #1 (as Vaidas Kublinkas), Valentin Novopolskij as Police Captain's Son #2, Dalia Micheleviciute as Police Captain's Wife, Ervinas Peteraitis as Kissely the Milkman (as Ervinas Martynas Peteraitis), Dmitrij Denisiuk as Policeman, Antanas Surna as Orthodox Rabbi, Dalius Mertinas as Belarussian Police Officer #1, Vaidotas Martinaitis as Belarussian Police Officer #2, Aldona Bendoriute as Jewish Mother Separated From Child #1, Darius Gumauskas as Jewish Father Being Beaten #1, Irmantas Bacelis as Jewish Father Being Beaten #2, Edita Uzaite as Jewish Mother Separated From Child #2, Jordan Bielsky as Villager Getting Shot, Gediminas Girdvainis as Screaming Man, Stanislav Adamickij as German Captain, Klemens Becker as SS Captain, Jonas Tamulevigius as German Courier (as Jonas Tamulevicius), Jaroslav Psenicka as German Officer in Car, Jolanta Dapkunaite as Woman in Car, Miroslav Lhotka as German Officer, Giacomo Strasser as German Private, Mac Steinmeier as German Sergeant, Dmitri Slepovitch as Musician (as Dmitrti Slepovitch), Arkadij Gotesman as Musician, Borisas Kirzeneris as Musician, Raimondas Sviackevicius as Musician, Adolf Hitler as Himself (archive footage) (uncredited), Zitto Kazann as (uncredited)
