CINEMA: Fugitive Pieces

The terrible emotional scars left by the Holocaust on those that survived it are explored in detail in this richly emotional, beautifully crafted film by Jeremy Podeswa.

Having seen his family massacred by the Nazis, young Polish Jew Jakob (Robbie Kay) hides in the forest and is discovered and rescued by a Greek archaeologist working on a dig in the area. At great danger to himself, the man smuggles the traumatised boy back to Greece and slowly nurses him back to health, becoming like a father to the young orphan.

The pair emigrate to Canada and it is here that the grown Jakob (Stephen Dillane) finally starts to confront the demons in his past, at first embarking on an affair with the vibrant Alex (Rosamund Pike), before travelling on a pilgrimage back to Greece where he finally discovers peace and a lasting love with Michaela (Ayelet Zurer). However, these later interludes in Jakob’s life are nowhere near as affecting as the scenes acted out by young Robbie Kay – a little boy with huge eyes and a huge talent.  Kay manages to say more about Jakob’s emotional landscape with one look than Dillane manages with whole scenes, and the relationship so painstakingly built between the immature Jakob and his adoptive father prove to be by far the best in the film.

Elsewhere, glorious location work in Greece – all light and air and liquid sunshine – is used as a nice counterpoint to the oppressive atmosphere in the Polish forest and the gloomy interiors of Canada.

Dee Pilgrim