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IMDbPro

The Fencer

Original title: Miekkailija
  • 20152015
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
5.1K
YOUR RATING
The Fencer (2015)
A haunted young man arrives in an Estonian town that has been under harsh Russian Communist rule since the end of World War II. Taking a job as sports instructor at the local school, he organizes a wildly successful fencing club -- affecting the lives of the local children in profound and moving ways. At the climactic competition with Russian foes, his past catches up with him.
Play trailer1:44
1 Video
22 Photos
BiographyDramaHistory
Fleeing from the Russian secret police, a young Estonian fencer is forced to return to his homeland, where he becomes a physical education teacher at a local school. The past however catches... Read allFleeing from the Russian secret police, a young Estonian fencer is forced to return to his homeland, where he becomes a physical education teacher at a local school. The past however catches up and puts him in front of a difficult choice.Fleeing from the Russian secret police, a young Estonian fencer is forced to return to his homeland, where he becomes a physical education teacher at a local school. The past however catches up and puts him in front of a difficult choice.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
5.1K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Klaus Härö
  • Writer
    • Anna Heinämaa
  • Stars
    • Märt Avandi
    • Ursula Ratasepp
    • Hendrik Toompere Sr.
  • Director
    • Klaus Härö
  • Writer
    • Anna Heinämaa
  • Stars
    • Märt Avandi
    • Ursula Ratasepp
    • Hendrik Toompere Sr.
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 15User reviews
    • 63Critic reviews
    • 60Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 5 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:44
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos22

    Märt Avandi in The Fencer (2015)
    Märt Avandi in The Fencer (2015)
    Liisa Koppel in The Fencer (2015)
    Klaus Härö and Liisa Koppel in The Fencer (2015)
    The Fencer (2015)
    The Fencer (2015)
    Märt Avandi and Liisa Koppel in The Fencer (2015)
    Märt Avandi, Ursula Ratasepp, and Liisa Koppel in The Fencer (2015)
    The Fencer (2015)
    The Fencer (2015)
    The Fencer (2015)
    The Fencer (2015)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Märt Avandi
    Märt Avandi
    • Endel Nelis
    Ursula Ratasepp
    • Kadri
    Hendrik Toompere Sr.
    • Principal
    • (as Hendrik Toompere)
    Liisa Koppel
    Liisa Koppel
    • Marta
    Joonas Koff
    • Jaan
    Egert Kadastu
    • Toomas
    Ann-Lisett Rebane
    • Lea
    Elbe Reiter
    • Tiiu
    Jaak Prints
    • Principal's assistant
    Kirill Käro
    Kirill Käro
    • Aleksei
    Lembit Ulfsak
    Lembit Ulfsak
    • Jaan's grandfather
    Leida Rammo
    • Boarding house's hostess
    Raimo Pass
    • Officer
    Erkki Tikkan
    • Officer
    Maria Avdjushko
    • Clerk in Leningrad
    Alina Karmazina
    • Armenian trainer
    Sergei Tserkassov
    • Commentator in Leningrad
    Aleksander Okunev
    • MGB officer
    • Director
      • Klaus Härö
    • Writer
      • Anna Heinämaa
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Finnish candidate for the best foreign language film in 2016 Academy Awards.
    • Goofs
      Nelis was not arrested after the fencing tournament in Leningrad.
    • Connections
      Featured in 73rd Golden Globe Awards (2016)

    User reviews15

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Looking for a new start while the past is on the tail.
    The 2016's Golden Globe nominee and also Finland's submission for the Oscars in the same year, but failed to get into the final five. Produced by the Baltic nations that set in when Estonia was a part of the USSR in the early 50s. It chronicles the story of Endel Nelis, a man who's on the run arrives in a small town called Haapsalu to teach the school children sports.

    As his life is in danger, he intends to keep a low profile for a while. But seems everything is turning around him against him when he decides to teach his students fencing. It brings a large attention to the surroundings. Then comes a time where he must confront what he's hiding from which brings an end to the narration with little extended end part that reveals further details about the later event.

    "It's good to have them focus on something, keep them occupied. It takes their mind off things."

    This is a very short story, but somehow the movie managed to run for the 90 minutes with a good pace. It did not cover the entire life story of Endel Nelis, but a small slice. So you definitely feel desperate to know about his past, but this film does not compromise on that. It has a great background score, and overall it is a very inspiring movie.

    The actors were so simple, but very good in their parts. Other than the lead character Endel, the two kids Marta and Jaan were excellent. The romance was as its sub-plot, but the theme was sport so all the concentration on the fencing and nothing else. In a couple of sections it feels so cliché, but since it was based on the real, there's nothing to do about it than accepting it.

    Fencing is not a popular sport in the world, so it is good to see a movie about it, but sadly it was not internationally well recognised. Like I said earlier the story was quite small, so I can't describe it in a large scale. I think I said everything I wanted to. In its limitedness the movie was pretty impressive. Not everyone who saw it going to suggest it for you, but it is worth a try.

    7½/10
    helpful•17
    1
    • Reno-Rangan
    • Apr 4, 2016

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 21, 2017 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Finland
      • Estonia
      • Germany
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • Estonian
      • Russian
      • Armenian
    • Also known as
      • El esgrimista
    • Filming locations
      • Pärnu, Estonia(location)
    • Production companies
      • Making Movies Oy
      • Allfilm
      • Kick Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • €1,605,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $95,952
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,572
      • Jul 23, 2017
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,289,014
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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