TORONTO—At this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the lights and eyes will of course be turned toward megastars like Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Reese Witherspoon, and Jodie Foster—though it's not only blockbuster American films that are generating a buzz.
One of the pleasant surprises and a TIFF audience favorite has been "Fugitive Pieces," the latest film by Canadian director Jeremy Podeswa. The film debuted at the TIFF opening gala on Sept. 7 at the Roy Thompson Theatre in Toronto.
Based on the best-selling novel by Canadian poet Anne Michaels, Fugitive Pieces is a powerful and lyrical film about love, loss, and redemption. It tells the story of Jakob Beer, played intricately by Stephen Dillane ( The Hours, King Arthur ), a man whose life is transformed by his childhood experiences during World War II.
The film is set in the '40s, '50s and '60s, and provides rich historical references as well as complex and well-rounded characters. The tragedy of war is shown through the eyes of a child—the most vulnerable of all victims.
The story begins in 1942, when a 9-year-old Jakob (played by child actor Robbie Kay), is forever changed when Nazi soldiers murder his parents and abduct his teenage sister. Jakob manages to sneak out of his hiding place and is discovered by a Greek archeologist named Athos Roussos (Rade Sherbedgia) who happens to be working in Poland. Athos smuggles the child to Greece, and when the Nazi occupation ends, the two migrate together to Canada.
Years later, we see that the now-grown Jakob has isolated himself from society as he struggles to cope with severe trauma from the violent loss of his family. He writes books, teaches, and lives a very secluded life, until he meets Alex (Rosamund Pike), and falls in love with her. However, it takes more than Alex's vivaciousness and optimism to cure Jakob's pains.
Fugitive Pieces benefits from remarkable performances by Stephen Dillane, Rade Sherbedgia, and Rosamund Pike. Also worth noting is the excellent cinematography, which portrays Jakob's struggle for redemption, love, and a new life in dark, bleak colors, while his blissful time in Greece is showered with sunshine and beautiful scenery.
With its unwavering humanism and belief in righteousness in even the most trying circumstances, Fugitive Pieces leaves a strong and positive impression. It had half my row at the screening shedding tears—of both sadness and relief.
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