The story of a band of Jews surviving the Nazis in the forests of Eastern Europe

Rating: 8/10 (1 August 2016)

Set during the German occupation of Eastern Poland/Belorussia this film tells the story of a group of Jews who evaded the Nazis and local collaborators and survived in the vast birch forests. From here they would emerge to find food and attack the Nazis. The group forms when the Bielski brothers' father is killed; they decide to head into the forest rather than await the same fate. A small group of fellow survivors follow them but that number keeps rising. Initially they are poorly armed but with each raid against the enemy they become better and better armed.
As time passes tensions rise within the group; Tuvia Bielski believes they must stay in the forest looking after all of the survivors but his brother Zus believes that those who can fight should attack the Germans whenever possible rather than just when it is absolutely necessary. Eventually Zus and those who think like him leave to fight with Soviet forces. This isn't the end of the troubles; Tuvia must also deal with those who disagree with his edict that everybody gets equal rations no matter what their contribution to the society. Inevitably they are eventually found and must run again, taking everybody with them.
I must admit that before watching this film I had not heard about the events depicted; even if the 'true events' depicted in the film were somewhat modified to make a more exciting story it does at least make one aware that over a thousand Jews survived in the forests. The film tells the story at a steady pace and includes plenty of action that keeps things interesting. It isn't like a conventional war film though; time is spent showing how the people survive, not just concentrating on the fighters; it is very much about the community in the forest. The cast does a solid job; most notably Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber who play Tuvia and Zus those in minor roles are almost as important though as collectively they make the society believable rather than just a collection of characters. Overall I'd certainly recommend this film; it might not be as true as it claims but it at least inspired me to read a little about event I knew nothing of before.