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Defiance

  • 20082008
  • RR
  • 2h 17m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
147K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,282
1,230
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Daniel Craig in Defiance (2008)
This is the theatrical trailer for Defiance, directed by Edward Zwick
Play trailer2:27
8 Videos
68 Photos
  • Action
  • Drama
  • History

Jewish brothers in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe escape into the Belarussian forests, where they join Russian resistance fighters, and endeavor to build a village, in order to protect themsel... Read allJewish brothers in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe escape into the Belarussian forests, where they join Russian resistance fighters, and endeavor to build a village, in order to protect themselves and about one thousand Jewish non-combatants.Jewish brothers in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe escape into the Belarussian forests, where they join Russian resistance fighters, and endeavor to build a village, in order to protect themselves and about one thousand Jewish non-combatants.

IMDb RATING
7.2/10
147K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,282
1,230
  • Director
    • Edward Zwick
  • Writers
    • Clayton Frohman(screenplay)
    • Edward Zwick(screenplay)
    • Nechama Tec(book "Defiance: the Bielski Partisans")
  • Stars
    • Daniel Craig
    • Liev Schreiber
    • Jamie Bell
Top credits
  • Director
    • Edward Zwick
  • Writers
    • Clayton Frohman(screenplay)
    • Edward Zwick(screenplay)
    • Nechama Tec(book "Defiance: the Bielski Partisans")
  • Stars
    • Daniel Craig
    • Liev Schreiber
    • Jamie Bell
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 278User reviews
    • 128Critic reviews
    • 58Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 2 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos8

    Defiance: Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 2:27
    Defiance: Theatrical Trailer
    U.S. trailer: Defiance
    Trailer 2:06
    U.S. trailer: Defiance
    Defiance
    Clip 0:41
    Defiance
    Defiance
    Clip 0:35
    Defiance
    Defiance
    Clip 0:56
    Defiance
    Defiance
    Clip 0:43
    Defiance
    Defiance
    Interview 0:35
    Defiance
    Defiance
    Interview 1:00
    Defiance

    Photos68

    Liev Schreiber in Defiance (2008)
    Jamie Bell in Defiance (2008)
    Alexa Davalos in Defiance (2008)
    Liev Schreiber and Daniel Craig in Defiance (2008)
    Jamie Bell and Daniel Craig in Defiance (2008)
    Jamie Bell and Mia Wasikowska in Defiance (2008)
    Daniel Craig and Alexa Davalos in Defiance (2008)
    Daniel Craig in Defiance (2008)
    Daniel Craig in Defiance (2008)
    Defiance (2008)
    Alexa Davalos at an event for Defiance (2008)
    Alexa Davalos at an event for Defiance (2008)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Daniel Craig
    Daniel Craig
    • Tuvia Bielskias Tuvia Bielski
    Liev Schreiber
    Liev Schreiber
    • Zus Bielskias Zus Bielski
    Jamie Bell
    Jamie Bell
    • Asael Bielskias Asael Bielski
    Alexa Davalos
    Alexa Davalos
    • Lilka Ticktinas Lilka Ticktin
    Allan Corduner
    Allan Corduner
    • Shimon Haretzas Shimon Haretz
    Mark Feuerstein
    Mark Feuerstein
    • Isaac Malbinas Isaac Malbin
    Tomas Arana
    Tomas Arana
    • Ben Zion Gulkowitzas Ben Zion Gulkowitz
    Jodhi May
    Jodhi May
    • Tamara Skidelskyas Tamara Skidelsky
    Kate Fahy
    Kate Fahy
    • Riva Reichas Riva Reich
    Iddo Goldberg
    Iddo Goldberg
    • Yitzhak Shulmanas Yitzhak Shulman
    Iben Hjejle
    Iben Hjejle
    • Bellaas Bella
    Martin Hancock
    Martin Hancock
    • Peretz Shorshatyas Peretz Shorshaty
    Ravil Isyanov
    Ravil Isyanov
    • Viktor Panchenkoas Viktor Panchenko
    Jacek Koman
    Jacek Koman
    • Konstanty 'Koscik' Kozlowskias Konstanty 'Koscik' Kozlowski
    George MacKay
    George MacKay
    • Aron Bielskias Aron Bielski
    Jonjo O'Neill
    Jonjo O'Neill
    • Lazaras Lazar
    Sam Spruell
    Sam Spruell
    • Arkady Lubczanskias Arkady Lubczanski
    Mia Wasikowska
    Mia Wasikowska
    • Chaya Dziencielskyas Chaya Dziencielsky
    • Director
      • Edward Zwick
    • Writers
      • Clayton Frohman(screenplay)
      • Edward Zwick(screenplay)
      • Nechama Tec(book "Defiance: the Bielski Partisans")
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    On the run and hiding in the deep forests of the then German-occupied Poland and Belorussia (World War II), the four 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. —Cinema_Fan
    • firearm
    • nazi soldier
    • nazi officer
    • british actor playing foreigner
    • nazi uniform
    • 180 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Freedom begins with an act of defiance!
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Drama
      • History
      • Thriller
      • War
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for violence and language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film was shot in a remote, wooded area in Lithuania, about a hundred miles away from the real location of the Bielski brothers camp.
    • Goofs
      Zus and some others go to the police station to get Ampicillin to treat the pneumonia that is common in the camp. Ampicillin did not come into clinical use until 1961. Even "simple" penicillin would not have been available in Belorussia in the early 1940s.
    • Quotes

      Tuvia Bielski: Our revenge is to live.

    • Connections
      Featured in Golden Globe Awards (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      A Tants Fun Propoisk
      Traditional

      Arranged by Dmitri Zisl Slepovitch

    User reviews278

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Mastering many languages is normal in Europe
    I've registered here just to write that I'm amazed by some reviews pointing that Zwick was inaccurate or illiterate when making his film. And it's really amusing to read that 'partisans couldn't speak Russian because Naliboki was a Polish town'.

    Naliboki is a town in the very center of present Belarus. It's a point were cultures mixed. For many centuries everybody here mastered at least 3 languages, and elder Belski spoke 6 of them: Yiddish, Hebrew, Polish, Belarusian, Russian, German. It's not so impossible, I may assure you:)

    Actually, Russian is appropriate only in episodes when Zus Belski talks to a Soviet partisans' commander - that guy was from Moscow. I'm pretty sure, that in reality Jews talked to their neighbors in Yiddish and got answers in Polish or Belarusian. As for Belskies, they where the only Jewish family in their village, so they should master Slavic languages perfectly.
    helpful•32
    13
    • maryjka-m
    • May 13, 2012

    FAQ6

    • Is "Defiance" based on a book?
    • What is the word that Zus and others use to disparage the non-combatants?
    • When Russians or Germans speak, there are subtitles, but the Bielskis speak English to each other, what language are they supposed to be speaking?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 16, 2009 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Виклик
    • Filming locations
      • Lithuania
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Vantage
      • Grosvenor Park Productions
      • The Bedford Falls Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $32,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $28,644,813
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $123,513
      • Jan 4, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $51,262,751
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 17 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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