IMDb > Defiance (2008)
Defiance
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Defiance (2008) -- This is the theatrical trailer for Defiance, directed by Edward Zwick
Defiance (2008) -- Clip: First 5 minutes of the film
Defiance (2008) -- Interview: Liev Schreiber "On preparing for his role as Zus Bielski"
Defiance (2008) -- This is the teaser trailer for Defiance, directed by Edward Zwick.
Defiance (2008) -- Trailer for this WWII era drama starring Daniel Craig

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   25,027 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 10% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Edward Zwick
Writers (WGA):
Clayton Frohman (screenplay) and
Edward Zwick (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Defiance on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 January 2009 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Drama | Thriller | War more
Tagline:
Freedom begins with an act of defiance!
Plot:
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 1,000 Jewish non-combatants. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(361 articles)
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Trailer for Angelina Jolie’s spy thriller ‘Salt’ debuts in Russia
 (From Reel Loop. 4 November 2009, 8:13 AM, PST)

User Comments:
Through suffering and faith they defied their destiny. more (169 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Daniel Craig ... Tuvia Bielski

Liev Schreiber ... Zus Bielski

Jamie Bell ... Asael Bielski

Alexa Davalos ... Lilka Ticktin

Allan Corduner ... Shamon Haretz

Mark Feuerstein ... Isaac Malbin

Tomas Arana ... Ben Zion Gulkowitz
Jodhi May ... Tamara Skidelsky
Kate Fahy ... Riva Reich
Iddo Goldberg ... Yitzchak Shulman

Iben Hjejle ... Bella
Martin Hancock ... Peretz Shorshaty

Ravil Isyanov ... Viktor Panchenko

Jacek Koman ... Konstanty 'Koscik' Kozlowski

George MacKay ... Aron Bielski
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for violence and language.
Runtime:
137 min
Country:
USA
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS
Filming Locations:
Lithuania

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The makers considered shooting in Poland and Romania before settling upon Lithuania. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Tuvia is holding the crying Zus, Tuvia's head changes positions during the scene from very close (and touching) to away from Zus's head. more
Quotes:
Shamon Haretz: Merciful God, we commit our friends - Ben Zion and Krensky - to You. We have no more prayers, no more tears; we have run out of blood. Choose another people. We have paid for each of Your commandments; we have covered every stone and field with ashes. Sanctify another land. Choose another people. Teach them the deeds and the prophesies. Grant us but one more blessing: take back the gift of our holiness. Amen. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2009) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Kupalinka more

FAQ

The Bielskis already seem to know a lot about war. Had any of them served in the military?
When Russians or Germans speak, there are subtitles, but the Bielskis speak English to each other, what language are they supposed to be speaking?
What is the word that Zus and others use to disparage the non-combatants?
more
7 out of 11 people found the following comment useful.
Through suffering and faith they defied their destiny., 25 August 2009
9/10
Author: tmwest from S. Paulo, Brazil

I was almost giving up seeing this film because of certain reviews which were not that good. To my amazement , the film turned up to be not good, but excellent. It shows people fighting for their lives, starving, getting to the point where many people loose faith and come close to being like animals. That is when you need a good leader which the Bielski brothers certainly were. And what good actors, Live Schreiber as Zus , what a performance, also Daniel Craig faultless as Tuvia. When you see all that killing, done by men (and women) trying to survive and also in some cases, revenge, you wonder how peaceful, good persons can change and become violent, when circumstances demand. And pray that those times will never happen to us. Spare us from being the Chosen People, says the Rabbi, overcome by anguish in a touching scene. But it is through suffering and faith that these people defy their destiny. My mother and father left Bielorus before the war. But most of their close ones did not.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (169 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Defiance (2008)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Possible Come and See reference? samossa
Daniel Craig, the most aryan looking jew and dodgy accent EVER chrislsonnex
Could have been a classic RPMcmurphy7
Quite possibly, the worst WWII-themed movie EVER!!! obelix99
Craig and Shreiber were hot in this film! jane_bront
Daniel Craig looking intense cens0red
more

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