Defiance (2008)
Action, Drama, History |.
Defiance is a American war film directed by Edward Zwick set during the occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany. The screenplay by Clayton Frohman and Zwick was based on Nechama Tec’s 1993 book Defiance: The Bielski Partisans, an account of the Bielski partisans, a group led by Polish Jewish brothers who saved and recruited Jews in Belarus during the Second World War. The film stars Daniel Craig as Tuvia Bielski, Liev Schreiber as Zus Bielski, Jamie Bell as Asael Bielski, and George MacKay as Aron Bielski.
Production began in early September 2007. After a limited release, e.g. Los Angeles, New York City, in the United States on December 31, 2008, it went into general release worldwide in January and February 2009.
The film is based on events which began in August 1941. Nazi Einsatzgruppen (task forces) are sweeping through Eastern Europe, systematically killing Jews. Among the survivors not killed or restricted to ghettoes are the Belarusian Jewish Bielski brothers: Tuvia, Zus, Asael and Aron. Their parents are dead, killed by local police under orders from the German occupiers. The brothers flee to the Naliboki Forest, vowing to avenge the deaths of their parents.
The brothers encounter other Jewish escapees hiding in the forest and take them under their protection and leadership. Tuvia kills the local Schutzmannschaft chief responsible for his parents’ deaths. Over the next year, they shelter a growing number of refugees, raiding local farms for food and supplies and moving their camp whenever they are discovered by the collaborationist police.
Director: Edward Zwick
Writers: Clayton Frohman (screenplay), Edward Zwick (screenplay), Nechama Tec (book)
Stars: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, Alexa Davalos, Allan Corduner, Mark Feuerstein, Tomas Arana
►Cast:
| Daniel Craig | … | Tuvia Bielski |
| Liev Schreiber | … | Zus Bielski |
| Jamie Bell | … | Asael Bielski |
| Alexa Davalos | … | Lilka Ticktin |
| Allan Corduner | … | Shimon Haretz |
| Mark Feuerstein | … | Isaac Malbin |
| Tomas Arana | … | Ben Zion Gulkowitz |
| Jodhi May | … | Tamara Skidelsky |
| Kate Fahy | … | Riva Reich |
| Iddo Goldberg | … | Yitzhak Shulman |
| Iben Hjejle | … | Bella |
| Martin Hancock | … | Peretz Shorshaty |
| Ravil Isyanov | … | Viktor Panchenko |
| Jacek Koman | … | Konstanty ‘Koscik’ Kozlowski |
| George MacKay | … | Aron Bielski |
| Jonjo O’Neill | … | Lazar |
| Sam Spruell | … | Arkady Lubczanski |
| Mia Wasikowska | … | Chaya Dziencielsky |
| Mark Margolis | … | Jewish Elder |
| Markus von Lingen | … | German SS Scout |
| Rolandas Boravskis | … | Gramov |
| Algirdas Dainavicius | … | Motl Lubczanski |
| Aurelija Prashuntaite | … | Rachel (as Aurelija Prasmuntaite) |
| Vidas Petkevicius | … | Avram Rubinski |
| Ina Frismanaite | … | Avram’s Daughter |
| Ana Goldberg | … | Lila |
| Rimante Valiukaite | … | Miriam |
| Leonardas Pobedonoscevas | … | Jacov |
| Kristina Bertasiute | … | Dark Haired Beauty |
| Kristina Skokova | … | Red Haired Woman |
| Remigijus Bilinskas | … | Pinchas Zuckerman |
| Rimgaudas Karvelis | … | Oppenheim |
| Janina Matekonyte | … | Well-Dressed Woman |
| Leonas Ciunis | … | Accountant |
| Aleksandr Zila | … | Chaya’s Father |
| Iveta Nadzeikiene | … | Chaya’s Mother |
| Clayton Frohman | … | Isadore Skidelsky |
| Marc Levy | … | Yechael Efrati |
| Zoe Rosenblum | … | Sarah Oppenheim |
| Sakalas Uzdavinys | … | Lova Volkin |
| Saulius Janavicius | … | Israel Kotler |
| Leonid Kotik | … | Krensky (as Leonidas Kotikas) |
| Dalia Smalskiene | … | Rosa |
| Tadas Kavaliauskas | … | Levine |
| Matas Cancingeris | … | Little Boy |
| Diana Aneviciute | … | Koscik’s Wife |
| Sigitas Rackys | … | Belarussian Police Captain |
| Vaidas Kublinskas | … | Police Captain’s Son #1 |
| Valentin Novopolskij | … | Police Captain’s Son #2 |
| Dalia Micheleviciute | … | Police Captain’s Wife |
| Ervinas Peteraitis | … | Kissely the Milkman |
| Dmitrijus Denisiukas | … | Policeman |
| Antanas Surna | … | Orthodox Rabbi |
| Dalius Mertinas | … | Belarussian Police Officer #1 |
| Vaidotas Martinaitis | … | Belarussian Police Officer #2 |
| Aldona Bendoriute | … | Jewish Mother Separated From Child #1 |
| Darius Gumauskas | … | Jewish Father Being Beaten #1 |
| Irmantas Bacelis | … | Jewish Father Being Beaten #2 |
| Edita Uzaite | … | Jewish Mother Separated From Child #2 |
| Jordan Bielsky | … | Villager Getting Shot |
| Gediminas Girdvainis | … | Screaming Man |
| Stanislav Adamickij | … | German Captain |
| Klemens Becker | … | SS Captain |
| Jonas Tamulevigius | … | German Courier (as Jonas Tamulevicius) |
| Jaroslav Psenicka | … | German Officer in Car |
| Jolanta Dapkunaite | … | Woman in Car |
| Miroslav Lhotka | … | German Officer |
| Giacomo Strasser | … | German Private |
| Mac Steinmeier | … | German Sergeant |
| Dmitri Zisl Slepovitch | … | Musician (as Dmitrti Slepovitch) |
| Arkadij Gotesman | … | Musician |
| Borisas Kirzeneris | … | Musician |
| Raimondas Sviackevicius | … | Musician |
| Adolf Hitler | … | Self (archive footage) |
| Zitto Kazann | … |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia