The film is based on a real story that happened in 1943 in the Sobibor concentration camp in German-occupied Poland. The main character of the movie is the Soviet-Jewish soldier Alexander Pechersky, who at that time was serving in the Red Army as a lieutenant. In October 1943, he was captured by the Nazis and deported to the Sobibor concentration camp, where Jews were being exterminated in gas chambers. But, in just 3 weeks, Alexander was able to plan an international uprising of prisoners from Poland and Western Europe. This uprising resulted in being the only successful one throughout the war, which led to the largest escape of prisoners from a Nazi concentration camp.
Acting
Khabenskiy directs himself with simmering, desperate restraint.
Direction
First-time director? The tension-building feels like veteran work.
Production
Shot in authentic locations — the geography becomes character.
Director
Konstantin Khabenskiy
Konstantin Khabenskiy
Alexander Pechersky
Christopher Lambert
Karl Frenzel
Michalina Olszańska
Hanna
Felice Jankell
Luca
Mariya Kozhevnikova
Selma
Dainius Kazlauskas
Leo
Philippe Reinhardt
Siegfried Greitschus
Maximilian Dirr
Johann Neumann
Mindaugas Papinigis
Berg
Wolfgang Cerny
Gustav Wagner
Ivan Zlobin
Shlomo
Sergey Godin
Arkadiy Vayspapir
Gela Meskhi
Semen Rosenfeld
Dirk Martens
Bachman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Soviet authorities suppressed Pechersky's story due to antisemitic 'rootless cosmopolitan' campaigns; this film represents a belated Russian reclamation. Director Khabenskiy is one of Russia's biggest stars using his platform for nearly-unfinanceable historical cinema.
RU
