LinhFugitive Pieces; drama film review
December 17th 2008 12:31
Pieces Of The Past In The Present by Linh
Fugitive Pieces is based on Anne Michael’s novel, and tells the story of Jakob Beer, a young Jewish boy who witnesses the Nazis murdering his parents and abducting his teenage sister, Bella, in Poland during World War II.
Jakob escapes and hides in the woods until a kind Greek archaeologist named Athos Roussos discovers him hiding amongst fallen leaves, and becomes Jakob’s foster father. Athos risks his life to bring Jakob with him to Greece and eventually they move to Canada where Athos writes a book and Jakob attends university. As Jakob reaches adulthood, he remains haunted by the harrowing memory of his parents’ death and the questions of his sister’s whereabouts.
The film spans approximately 35 years, and is told through the eyes of Jakob with flashbacks from his youth while living with his saviour, Athos, which interweave with the present.
Director and writer Jeremy Podeswa has masterfully produced a beautifully crafted film with similar poetic visualisations and moving in sync with the emotional ebbs and flows of the novel.
Podeswa, whose own father is a Holocaust survivor, feels a deep connection to the film and the lead character. He utilises his personal experiences to give the audience a wonderful insight into survivor guilt and recovery from the Holocaust throughout the film.
The cast is brilliant, yet the supporting cast seems to outshine the lead actor, Stephen Dillane, who portrays the brooding and fragile Jakob.
Dillane does well in providing the characterisation of the tormented Jakob but it’s not enough for the viewer to experience what Jakob is going through, only allowing them to witness his situation. This is a minor gripe, as the film is told from Jakob’s perspective and one should be able to feel his emotions and understand his thoughts as he does.
Rade Serbedzija gives a breath-taking performance as the gentle Greek, Athos Roussos, who takes care of the young Jakob, when he becomes orphaned after witnessing his parent’s murder at the hands of the Nazis.
Rade Serbedzija portrays Athos as part father and part mentor to Jakob with so much warmth and generosity of spirit, that you immediately find him approachable and trusting.
One of Israel’s most acclaimed actresses, Ayelet Zurer plays another interesting character named Michaela.
Michaela is a free-spirited and independent woman who manages to free Jakob from the ghosts of his past. She helps him find the love he’s lost to the past and bring it to focus in the present, despite Jakob being so traumatised and damaged from events in his past.
Ayelet Zurer is an alluring performer and brings an air of mystery and intrigue to her character Michaela, yet she is affable and engaging.
Fugitive Pieces is unlike other Holocaust films such as Life Is Beautiful and Schindler’s List, as it doesn’t show the vivid horrors of the Holocaust such as the concentration camps, the torturing of Jews and images of Nazism.
However small scenes in the film where Nazis storm into Jakob’s house, stop Athos’ car at a checkpoint and march along the Greek Island they occupied, are reminders of the presence of war.
Fugitive Pieces is very poetic and has an aura of sadness and melancholy which runs throughout the film.
The film is a gentle reminder of how loss (or an event as horrendous as the Holocaust) can affect not only the ones experiencing it, but also those around them and for generations to come.
Director: Jeremy Podeswa
Cast: Stephen Dillane, Rade Serbedzija, Rosamund Pike, Ayelet Zurer, Robbie Kay, Ed Stoppard, Rachelle Lefevre, Nina Dobrev
Screenplay: Jeremy Podeswa, Anne Michaels (novel)
Producers: Jeffrey Berman, Sandra Cunningham, Christina Ford, Andras Hamori, Robert Lantos, Mark Musselman, Panos Papahadzis, Dionyssis Samiotis, Panayotis Veremis
Cinematographer: Gregory Middleton
Original Music: Nikos Kypourgos
Film Editor: Wiebke von Carolsfeld
Running Time: 1 hour 46 minutes.
Language: Greek, Yiddish, English and German with English subtitles.
Fugitive Pieces is based on Anne Michael’s novel, and tells the story of Jakob Beer, a young Jewish boy who witnesses the Nazis murdering his parents and abducting his teenage sister, Bella, in Poland during World War II.
Jakob escapes and hides in the woods until a kind Greek archaeologist named Athos Roussos discovers him hiding amongst fallen leaves, and becomes Jakob’s foster father. Athos risks his life to bring Jakob with him to Greece and eventually they move to Canada where Athos writes a book and Jakob attends university. As Jakob reaches adulthood, he remains haunted by the harrowing memory of his parents’ death and the questions of his sister’s whereabouts.
The film spans approximately 35 years, and is told through the eyes of Jakob with flashbacks from his youth while living with his saviour, Athos, which interweave with the present.
Director and writer Jeremy Podeswa has masterfully produced a beautifully crafted film with similar poetic visualisations and moving in sync with the emotional ebbs and flows of the novel.
Podeswa, whose own father is a Holocaust survivor, feels a deep connection to the film and the lead character. He utilises his personal experiences to give the audience a wonderful insight into survivor guilt and recovery from the Holocaust throughout the film.
FAMILY: Athos (Rade Serbedzija) becomes a foster father to the orphaned Jakob (Robbie Kay) in Fugitive Pieces. Image: Cinegram, Serendipity Point Films.
The cast is brilliant, yet the supporting cast seems to outshine the lead actor, Stephen Dillane, who portrays the brooding and fragile Jakob.
Dillane does well in providing the characterisation of the tormented Jakob but it’s not enough for the viewer to experience what Jakob is going through, only allowing them to witness his situation. This is a minor gripe, as the film is told from Jakob’s perspective and one should be able to feel his emotions and understand his thoughts as he does.
Rade Serbedzija gives a breath-taking performance as the gentle Greek, Athos Roussos, who takes care of the young Jakob, when he becomes orphaned after witnessing his parent’s murder at the hands of the Nazis.
Rade Serbedzija portrays Athos as part father and part mentor to Jakob with so much warmth and generosity of spirit, that you immediately find him approachable and trusting.
One of Israel’s most acclaimed actresses, Ayelet Zurer plays another interesting character named Michaela.
Michaela is a free-spirited and independent woman who manages to free Jakob from the ghosts of his past. She helps him find the love he’s lost to the past and bring it to focus in the present, despite Jakob being so traumatised and damaged from events in his past.
Ayelet Zurer is an alluring performer and brings an air of mystery and intrigue to her character Michaela, yet she is affable and engaging.
FREE SPIRITS: Michaela (Ayelet Zurer) shows Jakob (Stephen Dillane) that love can set him free in the film Fugitive Pieces. Image: Cinegram, Serendipity Point Films.
Fugitive Pieces is unlike other Holocaust films such as Life Is Beautiful and Schindler’s List, as it doesn’t show the vivid horrors of the Holocaust such as the concentration camps, the torturing of Jews and images of Nazism.
However small scenes in the film where Nazis storm into Jakob’s house, stop Athos’ car at a checkpoint and march along the Greek Island they occupied, are reminders of the presence of war.
Fugitive Pieces is very poetic and has an aura of sadness and melancholy which runs throughout the film.
The film is a gentle reminder of how loss (or an event as horrendous as the Holocaust) can affect not only the ones experiencing it, but also those around them and for generations to come.
Director: Jeremy Podeswa
Cast: Stephen Dillane, Rade Serbedzija, Rosamund Pike, Ayelet Zurer, Robbie Kay, Ed Stoppard, Rachelle Lefevre, Nina Dobrev
Screenplay: Jeremy Podeswa, Anne Michaels (novel)
Producers: Jeffrey Berman, Sandra Cunningham, Christina Ford, Andras Hamori, Robert Lantos, Mark Musselman, Panos Papahadzis, Dionyssis Samiotis, Panayotis Veremis
Cinematographer: Gregory Middleton
Original Music: Nikos Kypourgos
Film Editor: Wiebke von Carolsfeld
Running Time: 1 hour 46 minutes.
Language: Greek, Yiddish, English and German with English subtitles.
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