(cheering)
(Adolf Hitler) Vor uns liegt Deutschland,
in uns marschiert Deutschland, und hinter uns kommt Deutschland!
- (man) Feuer! - (gunfire)
(screaming)
(shouts)
(soldiers shout in German)
(dog barks)
(gunshot)
(woman screams)
(woman screams / child cries)
- (man) Please! He's my son! - (both scream)
(shrieks)
Mama! Mama!
Mama! Mama! Mama!
(gunfire / man shouts)
(dog barks)
- What do we do? - Shut up.
We've got to get home. Go!
(boy) Oh, my God!
Oh, my...!
(sobs) Papa!
- (boy pants) - Aron.
Come. lt's safe.
Let's go.
(boy sobs)
(sobs heavily
(man) Stop it.
- (sobs) - Asael! Stop it!
(Asael continues to sob)
- (sobs) - Stop! Stop!
You want to cry? Stop! Stop!
(sobs)
Let's go. Aron. Let's go.
Tuvia! lt's Tuvia.
lf l was a German, you would be dead.
- Papa and Mama... They killed them! - l know.
(sobs)
Aron.
Big brother returns.
You saw them?
(Tuvia) Where is your wife and child?
Horodyszcze. Hiding in a cellar. l'll bring them when it is safe.
- And Rifka? - Novogrudok.
- She wouldn't leave. - You are still...
- She's still my wife. - A rich wife.
Tell me, Tuvia, why have you come back?
- Do you have a plan? - No.
Do you?
(thunder)
- The police will be a¤er us. - We've run from them our whole life.
- You think this is a good time to stop? - We know these woods.
They'll never find us in here.
Aron!
l told him to stay here.
(twig snaps)
(pants)
l miss Papa.
l can't believe he's dead.
- Bernicki. - We don't know he did it.
- The police captain? - He always had it in for Papa.
- But we don't know that he did it. - So we will go and ask him.
Koscik has a pistol. He showed me once.
One pistol is nothing. We need rifles, machine guns.
- You'll take on the whole German army? - Just because...
- The child is hurt. - Please, lay her down here.
(sobs)
Tuvia.
We cannot feed them.
- l'll go ask Koscik for food. - And the pistol.
And the pistol.
You want me not to help?
l only have four bullets.
Thank you.
Your father was a good man.
- He said the same of you. - (knife thuds)
lgnore the bitch. To the dead.
God rest their souls.
Bitch... You want vodka?
l live with this. Can you imagine?
(engine approaches)
The barn.
- (man gasps) - Oh, God!
Working late, Bernicki.
Hunting Jews...
Our new bosses are very organised.
Be quiet!
Hunting can work up a thirst.
(chuckles)
Fifteen in one day...
(coughs)
500 roubles for every one we turn in.
A Jew is worth that much?
Do you pay more for a fat one?
Caught five in a ditch. Smelled so bad l thought the Germans wouldn't want them.
Maybe for a reduced price.
You know the Bielskis?
We missed them when we visited the parents.
The wife doesn't like these long nights.
Keep it.
Bribing an officer of the law?
Hiding more of this black market vodka in the barn?
Please, take a look.
And clean out the cow shit while you're there.
(both laugh)
Ah!
You'll keep your eyes open, yes?
Good hunting.
- l'm sorry, they have to go with you. - What am l supposed to do with them?
Those policemen,... were they the ones who killed my parents?
You people. Why is it so fucking hard being friends with a Jew?
Try being one.
- (woman) Who is he? - Come on.
Thank you. Come. Come.
You sat at the back, in school. l am Shimon H'aretz.
- l thought you were dead. - l am at least half dead. (pants)
l heard you speaking of your parents. l am very sorry.
The other brothers. What was his name, the wild one?
- Zus. He's with the other two. - You are hiding here in the forest?
(coughs)
There has been trouble before, maybe? With the police?
So you go to the forest. A wise choice.
A wise choice... for a stupid schoolboy.
My whole life, l presumed to teach others the right way to live.
l had no doubt. ¤¤This is God's way, this isn't.¤¤
You'll forgive me if recent events have somewhat shaken my resolve.
Just like school. l have no idea what you are talking about.
Please, let's go.
Here. You're not hungry?
Your little one does not talk.
He saw things.
l send you for food and you bring more mouths to feed.
- You send me? - Oh, please.
lt was Bernicki who killed Papa.
Did you at least get the pistol?
Only four bullets.
Then, we'll have to make them count.
(thunder)
You worked late.
Tomorrow is Sunday. You have a day off?
Fucking SS never sleeps...
(door bangs)
You know who l am?
Sit!
You know why l'm here.
- What are you talking about? - What am l talking about?
lf they say find someone, l find him. lt's my job.
To kill Jews.
Or lose my job.
And you like your job.
l was always fair with your family.
Everyone knew you were smuggling. l looked the other way.
Ask your father.
My father? You can ask my father.
On your knees.
On your knees!
Please... l beg you.
For my parents, David and Beila Bielski.
For my brothers, and for all the others.
(wails)
- (gunshot) - (screams)
Kill me, too!
(pants)
Shit!
- Only one left. - His sons.
How was it?
- How was what? - To kill them.
- lt was good, no? - Shut up.
(chuckles)
- And what about these others? - l don't know.
Women will slow us down. Your old teacher...
What, you afraid he's gonna spank you for forgetting your homework?
We have to be able to move, Tuvia, and quickly.
l agree. But they're here.
We'll sleep further up the trail. lf someone comes, they'll find them first,
and the gunshots should give us time to escape.
Alright,... but no more.
No more.
(woman coughs)
l know. l know!
Tamara, you remember Cousin Zus. Please, go and sit by the fire.
- Lazar. He's lsabel's youngest. - Hello.
- And this is lsaac Malbin. - Hello.
- He's from Minsk. - Tuvia.
- Asael! Find them something to eat. - l have pi¤ for them all, but...
- They're family! - And how will we feed this family?
We'll water the soup.
And this one,... she is family?
- No. - Oh.
(groans) Whoa!
What the fuck?! Have you never used a hammer before?
- Er,... no. - What is it you do?
l suppose you'd have to say l was, am, an intellectual.
- This is a job? - (laughs)
l published a small magazine.
- Ah. - Actually, a journal.
- Hm. - More like a pamphlet.
(Lazar) Tuvia?
This is Lila. Lila is my forest wife.
l see.
Congratulations.
lnteresting concept.
As long as his village wife stays in hiding.
(man shouts in Russian)
(shouts in Russian)
- Hello, boys. What can we do for you? - Food. We want food.
These little shits are holding us up. Do you have the balls to shoot me?
We have food. We'll share.
No. l want to see if this little shit has the balls to shoot me.
You like to shoot Jews, little shit? Huh?
- You are Jews? - No, we're the Gestapo.
- Put down the gun. - Before l shove it up your ass.
- Hey! Look at me! Where you from? - Horodyszcze.
We haven't eaten in two days. My name is Paretz.
This is Jacov.
Two days ago there were 3,000 Jews in Horodyszcze. And now... there are 50.
Me and him, we hid in a wall.
Do you know a woman,... Sonia Bielski?
We knew her.
There was a child.
(retches)
(sobs)
(yells)
(sobs)
My child... l should have protected them!
- No. - l... Sonia!
Mama!
Papa!
- So many dead! - l know.
Why not us?
l don't know.
Better to be hiding in the woods...
..like rabbits,...
..hunted. No.
We're looking for partisans. What is the name of your otriad?
- What is an otriad? - lt's an armed brigade.
We heard the Russians are beginning to organise.
- Here? - And also in Lipicanska.
Then we are the Bielski Otriad. You want to join?
- The Russians are fighters. - But you need a gun to join them.
They sabotage railroads and kill Germans.
You want to kill Germans? Come with me.
Unless you're still afraid to use that rifle.
Stay there. Stay there!
We must get what we need without killing.
- This will not bring your family back. - Blood for blood.
- You had yours. - And l can still see their faces.
- "Vengeance is mine." Who said that? - This is God's work you're doing now?
No, only you can do that. Take a few lives, spare others.
- We must not become like them. - No, but we can kill like them.
Are you coming with us or not?
Collaborator.
Traitor!
We are the Bielskis!
We'll be back.
My truck! Who did this?
Who are you?
This truck took away Jews.
The Germans made me use it.
(gunshot)
lt's coming! lt's coming!
(engine roars)
(screams)
Truck!
Hurry, hurry! Go!
Here!
(speaks German)
lt's one of ours, but there is no one here.
Maybe he was drunk?
Look for him and hurry up!
We want to get to the party!
(soldier whistles)
Hey!
(screams)
(shouting)
(woman shouts in German)
- (gunfire) - (shouting)
(woman) Nein! Nein!
- (screams) - (Jacov) Hey, l got one!
A-ha!
- Vodka! - Hey, now we are real partisans!
- (cork pops) - To the Bielski Otriad!
Cigarettes!
(engine roars)
Asael!
(screams)
- Asael! - (barrage of gunfire)
(gunfire continues)
Get his rifle!
- (soldiers shout) - (gunfire continues)
Shit! He's going the wrong way!
(screams)
- Come on! - We can't just leave him!
We have no choice! Go!
- Asael! - No! No!
(metallic scraping)
They thought you were bringing food. Farmers stop you?
- Hm? They had guns? Dogs? - No.
l don't understand. (coughs)
The Talmud says, if you save a life, you must take responsibility for it.
Again, l have no idea what you're talking about.
Oh, yes. l think you do. And now your little brother is gone.
- How did you get past Lazar? - Who?
Fucking shit... You worthless piece of shit!
- (screams) - Enough!
He walked by you! Someone could have been killed!
l said enough! Get up! Get up!
He should be shot. lf we were real partisans, he'd be shot,
you stupid little piece of...!
He made a mistake!
Mistake?
- We cannot make mistakes, Tuvia. - Like last night, Zus.
First they will torture Asael...
..and then they will hang him.
You are Tuvia Bielski?
- You know me? - We heard of you in Vilna.
- My sister lives in Vilna! - My family is there!
- The SD came without warning. - Oh, God!
(sobs) Oh, God! Oh, God!
- We'll be better off in the ghetto! - At least here we are safe.
- There, we had had hope. - Here we have hope!
- Do we? - We have no food!
- Tomorrow will be another mission. - Like last time?
- We won't make that mistake again. - How do you know?
- (all shout) - We may be here a long time.
- We have to prepare. - How?
Better security, better at getting food...
We don't have weapons. People are getting sick.
- (all shout) - (sobs)
(all continue to shout)
Whatever it takes, we all have to participate!
- We can't work against each other! - (all fall silent)
We cannot afford revenge. Not now!
We cannot afford to lose friends like Jacov and Peretz.
Or Asael.
We cannot lose anyone.
We will map out where we have been...
..so as not to visit the same farms too often,
and we will take only from those who can afford to give,
and we will leave those who can't alone.
Our revenge...
- ..is to live. - The poorest farmer has more than us.
Quiet. What l am saying is, we are not thieves or murderers.
We may be hunted like animals, but we will not become animals.
We have all chosen this,...
..to live here free, like human beings, for as long as we can.
Every day of freedom is like an act of faith.
And if we should die, trying to live,...
..then at least we die like human beings.
Hello.
ln the barn.
JEW LOVER
l'm sorry.
Come.
Thank God. Come here! Come here!
Come, Asael!
- (laughs) - Zus... Zus, l can't breathe.
l can't breathe. Look. Look. Look what we found.
Where did you get these?
Hello.
- lt is alright. Please come. - Please.
- (Asael) lt is alright. - (Zus) Come on.
Give me that.
- Asael, you've been busy! - Shut up.
Hello. l am Zus.
This is Bella and this is Chaya.
- Please, come. You must be hungry. - Thank you.
Thank you.
Go.
And then, we fell into this horrible bog,
and Chaya saved me. l can't swim at all.
- Well, we'll have to teach you. - We must have got lost a dozen times.
l was resigned to die. Tell him, Chaya. Was it not the absolute worst?
- And that farmer, a Mr er... - Koscik.
Yes. He kept making the most vulgar jokes.
So you're trying to tell me that all politics is meaningless?
ln the West, the monster with the little moustache.
ln the East, the monster with the big moustache. That is politics.
Your Messiah will have a moustache, too, and a full beard.
No. The messiahs are all in politics, and they are killing us.
- No... - What's killing me is all your talking.
(quietly) And Roosevelt? He has no moustache.
We need to know about the villages,
where the Germans are, who the informers are.
- Are you listening to me? - Yes. Yes.
- What's her name? - Chaya.
Chaya!
What are you doing?
- Talk to her. - l hardly know her.
You spent three days in a cellar with her.
Malbin says the Piznarski granary is full.
- But we still need two guns at least. - Whose turn is it to go?
- Zus. - You go with him.
Make sure he understands my orders.
Go! Go and talk to her! Go!
Hello. How are you?
- Fine. - Good.
Ssh...
Good morning. Early to market?
Could you spare us a little bit of milk?
This is what l must give the Germans.
lf l don't meet my quota,
they'll shoot me and my family.
Leave half. He cannot go to the Germans empty-handed. Tuvia's orders.
Comrade, we are grateful for your cooperation.
What a lovely coat.
ls that a fur collar?
Halt! Who goes there?
You know who goes there, Lazar. We go there.
You only say "Who goes there?" when you don't know who goes there.
Sorry, Zus.
Milk! And eggs! Chaya, our brave men have brought us a feast.
- You can make me blintzes. - (laughs)
Hey... Hey! l don't think we've been properly introduced.
- Hello. - Arkady Lubczanski.
- You are Chaya. - Yes.
You're getting along alright? Anything you need? An extra blanket?
Er, no, thank you. l am fine.
- Oh. Something nice... and soft? - No, it is alright.
You don't have a husband yet.
- Yet? - A forest husband.
All the other women have chosen already. They haven't told you?
No, they haven't. Thank you for explaining it.
Descartes provided for the subjective nature of experience.
Yes. You annoy me, therefore l exist.
(violin tunes up in background)
Ben Zion?
The new ones have just arrived. They are from Novogrudok.
Your wife... They say she was killed last week.
l'm sorry.
Thank you for telling me.
(plays mournful melody
Can l join you?
Of course.
- Oh, l... l never... - You never what?
(clears throat)
Do you get lonely out here?
l like the woods.
l get a little bit scared sometimes.
Tell me something. Why is there a rule against women having guns?
- There aren't enough for the men. - Women need guns, too.
What for?
For... protection.
Women have men for protection.
l want protection.
(men shout)
- Men with guns! Men with guns! Up! - (all shout in panic)
Take weapons and ammunition only!
- Lova, Ben Zion, with us. Asael! - Yes!
Keep them moving! Don't stop! Keep them moving!
Go, go. Move! Come on! Quickly, quickly!
Zus! No!
Quick, quick.
Come!
- (all shout) - Don't stop till you reach the fields!
- Move, move! - Keep them moving. Zus! Asael!
Ben Zion, there!
Leave now and we won't shoot all of you!
Don't be a fool. There are hundreds of us!
Who is the fool?
Give up Bielski, and the rest of you can go free!
You're from Belorussia! Why do you work against your own people?
For the same reason you steal from the poor!
To survive!
- Shit! - Next one's to the head!
lt will be dark soon. How will you find your way home then?
Let's go!
They'll be back. We will have to build a new camp.
- Next time you can draw them a map. - And what does that mean?
lt means we should have killed the fucking milkman.
Your policy of diplomacy is shit.
Winter is coming, and now we have no shelter. Why?
Because you don't have the stomach to do what must be done.
Go! Move.
Where is he taking us? My feet are going to fall off.
l need volunteers for a scouting party.
- (whistles casually - (man shouts)
Who are you?
A brigade of independent fighters.
What brigade?
The Bielski Otriad.
Ah!
We know of you. Jewish bandits.
l'm sure we can clear this up with your commander.
(whistles)
- (men shout) - (horses whinny
l am Viktor Panchenko, Commander of the October Otriad.
We've heard of a Jewish gang stealing from villages loyal to us.
How do you respond to these charges?
When you take food, it is support. When we do, it is stealing.
We are soldiers of the Red Army.
And we fight a common enemy.
The Motherland doesn't distinguish between Jews and non-Jews.
But Jews do not fight.
These Jews do.
We will see.
Send us your best fighters.
We are honoured to be of service.
- So now we are partisans. - We'll see.
(whistles casually
- Here. - Thank you.
lf my friends at the New Socialist Club could see me now!
l haven't read a book in months.
l don't read much.
- You can ask Shimon. - l did.
- Yet you accept me as commander? - Who else?
(laughs)
- Might l make an observation? - Please! Observe away.
We need to be strong, yes. But...
But?
- Other things are important, too. - Such as?
Community.
You have ideas about, er,... about community?
A few.
Oh! More mouths to feed.
And more young bodies to keep us warm.
(kiss)
- Which one is Tuvia Bielski? - Tuvia!
l'm Tuvia.
Hello.
None of us knew if you really existed.
Excuse me. My name is Yitzhak Shulman.
- Welcome, Yitzhak. - l am from Baranowicze.
The ghetto is being liquidated.
The Germans said everyone will be executed if anyone is missing.
So the council stops us from leaving. But, er,...
..every day, more people are killed.
My parents!
- We will do what we can. - Thank you.
No!
- Thank you. - Welcome.
- Please, will you help my parents? - l, er...
l've seen you looking at me.
lf you were to rescue them, l will do anything for you.
- No! - Anything. Please!
And what does it mean, "do what we can"?
We will send for everyone who is left alive.
- And if there are hundreds, Tuvia? - Then we will provide.
And when the Germans follow these hundreds?
- l won't let that happen. - You won't?
- No. l will bring them out myself. - From the ghetto?
- Yes! - So, now you are Moses, huh?
- Go back to work. You're wasting time. - l'm not the one who's wasting time.
l cannot have you questioning me in front of the others.
- We're family. We stick together. - Why?
So we can die alongside these... malbushim?
- Don't call them that. They're Jews. - Pretentious Jews.
Jews who stuck up their noses at us.
Jews who would lock their daughters away from our dirty hands.
You are nothing to them, Tuvia.
They only follow you because they're too weak to fight for themselves.
And what about Bella?
She'd be with you if this wasn't happening?
- Don't. - ls it love, Zus?
Tuvia...
(grunts)
Tuvia!
Lova, Ben Zion...
And anyone else who'd rather fight than wait to be killed,...
..we're leaving to join those who fight.
Are you coming?
No.
JEWlSH LlVlNG AREA DO NOT ENTER
(announcement over loudspeaker in German)
(chatter)
(elder) We are not so naive to think they won't kill some of us,
but all the Jews? lt makes no sense.
They need us to work in the factories, in the labour camps.
They're death camps.
We, too, have heard of such places.
But have you seen them yourself?
Can you tell me with absolute certainty that we won't just as likely die
out there with you in the woods, with winter coming on?
Do you think we haven't all considered running away?
For every one who leaves, they kill 20.
How can l sacrifice thousands for the sake of a few?
What if we take you all?
The old? The sick? How will we live?
We will protect you. We have alliances with Russian partisans.
They're as bad as the Germans! You're too young to know the pogroms.
Our only weapon is time.
lf l can buy more, we will have won.
You want time?
Fine. l'll give you time.
A day, a month, maybe even a year. To live.
Your daughter, Chaya. She is with us.
Your husband is waiting for you.
Rabbi... Rabbi, please.
We're waiting for God.
(woman 1) l am going.
(woman 2) l am going.
(man) l am going.
l am going.
(woman 3) Me, too.
Wait.
Come on. Come.
Move forward! Come along, please! Come forward!
Please have your valuables out and ready. Keep moving.
Come! We're not going to bite you.
Mama! Papa!
- Ah! What about you, Tateh? - l am a watchmaker.
Can you repair guns?
- The trigger. - Maybe.
Come forward. Have your things out and ready. Please...
- They were my grandmother's. - And now they belong to the Otriad.
Everyone sacrifices for the sake of the collective!
We can trade this for food or weapons. Next!
How about carpenters?
- Any bootmakers? Seamstresses? - l am an accountant.
- Well, that should come in handy! - Alright!
(chuckles) You have a new profession.
- Mazel tov. - (laughs)
- Next! - l am a shoemaker.
- Good. You are welcome. - Yes, please?
- l am a nurse. - Ah! Good. You are most welcome.
Friends! This is the happiest day of my life,
to see you here, safely amongst us.
But there are a few things you must learn about living here.
When you are rested and settled, you will be assigned work duties.
Everyone will work. There are no exceptions.
We will help supply our Russian partisan comrades.
We will mend clothes. We will repair weapons.
Women will learn to shoot, and they will fight alongside men.
Pregnancies are forbidden.
We cannot accommodate an infant's needs here.
Today,... we will start rebuilding the lives you have all lost.
This is the one place in all of Belorussia where a Jew can be free.
We welcome you into our community.
- He is a Jew? - Yes.
Reload!
(chatter)
This is not a gun! To you, it is Bar Kochba's spear.
lt is Samson's jawbone. lt is Ehud's sword.
lt is the slingshot young David used to bring down the monster Goliath.
And we will become warriors,...
..like the Maccabees and the Sicarii,
brave men and women fighting for their freedom.
As they were.
Fire!
Good.
Buried underneath with this detonator,...
..almost touching the rail.
As the train passes its weight causes pressure...
..on the detonator...
..and then...
Boom!
(laughs)
(whistles casually
Now, this here,... this is a knight.
lt can move one, two, forward, and one to the side.
Yesterday, potato with beets, today, beets with potatoes...
Tomorrow, special treat. Potato soup.
Stop complaining, you wenches, and keep mashing.
- We love potatoes, don't we, boys? - Yes, sir!
We like latkes, blintzes...
Thank you! Sit down. Put some hairs on your chest.
lf you want to be a soldier, you drink!
What are you doing? What are you doing?
- (coughs) - He's having a little drink.
So,... a little bird told me
that a certain someone is waiting for another certain someone
to ask a certain question.
- Hello, Chaya. - Hello, Asael.
- Let me take it. - No, no.
- Are you sure? - l am fine. Thank you.
May l help you?
Chaya, l was wondering if... maybe...
you... l mean,
you and l,... if... we...
- l accept. - You do?
l do.
(Shimon) Blessed art Thou, our God, king of the universe,
who created man in His own image...
..and out of Himself fashioned for us a lasting place.
Blessed art Thou, our God, king of the universe,
who created all things for His glory.
Oh, gladden these loving mates
as Thou did anciently gladden Thy creatures in Eden.
Blessed art Thou, O God,
who gladdens the bridegroom and the bride.
- Amen. - (all) Amen.
(recites in Hebrew)
With this ring you are consecrated to me
according to the law of Moses and lsrael.
(all) Mazel tov!
(cheering)
(plays wedding dance)
(music continues)
(cheering)
You are related to Bielski?
l am Bielski.
(music continues)
(wind howls)
(coughs)
Tuvia, this is it. This is all we have.
Cover them up.
Some talk of returning to the ghetto.
We've barely eaten for days.
(coughs)
- What time is it? - You have an engagement?
- ls there any supper? - Not today.
- Tuvia is sending out more missions. - You follow Tuvia like an old goat.
l'd rather be a goat than a snake. Tuvia is doing the best he can.
We should have joined Zus.
Who's stopping you?
(gunshot)
- (hubbub) - Stop pushing!
Out of the way! Out of the way!
ln there. More.
- No, that's enough. - More!
- No! - More!
- Give me! - (shouting)
- (woman) No. No, that's enough. - (man) More!
(man sings folk song)
(all join in)
More dead soldiers than empty bottles.
That is so... Russian.
At least you drink like a Russian.
A Jew can't drink, a Jew can't fight.
What is it we are good for, Viktor?
Dying.
That's what we are good at.
Tell me about this brother of yours.
Oh, yes.
The Great Tuvia Bielski, Saviour of the Jews,
and all around big shit.
You compete with him.
He competes with me.
My older brother and l have the same relationship.
He's a big shit also?
A soldier.
He was killed in the first hour of the German invasion.
- Hello. - Hello.
You get used to it eventually.
- What are you going to do today? - Today l go on my first food mission.
- l'll tell Asael to send someone else. - No.
No, l want to go.
l must go.
Here. You must... You must take this.
Stay warm. Please.
Lilka!
Please take it.
Thank you, Tuvia.
Hm! She's a tasty one, your aristocrat.
- What? - We were told "hands off".
"Property of the commander."
Tuvia, l'm beginning to see signs of some new sickness.
Two of the old ones have died this week.
Tuvia!
- Miriam! - What happened?
- He says it was a patrol. - They are watching the roads.
- The Germans are everywhere! - You go back. You stay alert!
She will be alright.
Take your food back now, and stay on this side of the river.
But watch out for patrols. l'll wait here for the others.
Good luck.
- (man coughs) - Halt! Who goes there?
Lazar, l'm coming from camp.
- The danger's out there. - Sorry, Tuvia.
- Any sign of the food mission? - Not yet.
(growls)
(snarls / barks)
- Go! - (barks ferociously
(gunshot)
(woman) l think it's typhus. lf it is, we are in trouble.
The lice are carriers. The partisans have ampicillin,
but they say they need it for themselves.
- Tuvia! - Yes. Medicine. l'll go see Viktor now.
- What happened? Are you alright? - l'm fine. Thank you.
Every time we try to move,...
..they radio back to the transmitter at police HQ.
So we attack the transmitter.
Yes, my Hebrew Warrior.
Except the place is swarming with police.
What's this, two Bielskis at once?
To what do we owe this honour?
We have sickness. l need ampicillin.
Medicine's only for fighters.
lf we have typhus it may spread to your camp.
- l will have to take that chance. - l must insist.
Comrade.
You'd better not.
There is medicine in the Stankiewcze police station, yes?
Tuvia and l grew up there.
The Bielski Otriad can destroy the transmitter.
(Tuvia coughs)
- You are too sick. - (coughs)
Stay in the truck. Make sure it's in gear when we get back.
- No. l'm coming with you. - l give the orders tonight.
You don't have to do this.
- l don't? What about the typhus? - So more die. They will anyway.
(laughs)
Zus!
For luck. Take it.
(coughs)
(gunfire)
- Tuvia! Go! - What about the others?
Drive the fucking truck!
(groans)
- The others? - (grunts)
Fighters die so that malbushim may live. That's what you believe, yes?
What do you believe? You Communist now?
Communist, Zionist, Fascist...
What difference does it make, as long as you get your medicine?
Come back to us.
You're my brother!
So, you remember.
(Shimon) Merciful God,
we commit our friends Ben Zion and Krensky to Your care.
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.
(coughs)
Teach them the deeds and the prophecies.
Grant us but one more blessing.
Take back the gift of our holiness.
- Amen. - (all) Amen.
(coughs)
(coughs harshly
(chatter)
Chaya, this amount is shit. Take your hand and dig it in the pot.
- Get off me. - Give me some of the meat.
Arkady! Get your hands off her! What do you think you're doing, huh?
- Pisher! Who do you think you are? - l am in charge. Get back in line.
Go away, little man.
- l'll take the skin off your face! - (all shout)
Get back! Put that away. Put it away!
(coughs)
Now what is happening here?
Those who risk their lives to bring back food
deserve a larger portion than those who risk nothing!
- (Asael) Everybody gets the same. - Not when your bitch is serving!
- She is my wife! - Shut up! Everybody gets the same.
Anybody caught stealing will face consequences.
- What consequences? - Half rations, one week. Both of you!
- What? - Are you questioning me?
This matter is settled. Now get back in line.
Get back in line!
(coughs)
- (coughs) - Tuvia!
- l would never... - l know.
Why am l to be punished?
On food missions, they take for themselves
and only bring back what's left over. And they spread rumours
that you are power-hungry and corrupt.
That you take whatever woman you choose.
- That we keep the gold for ourselves. - And what? What? What else?
That you are no longer fit to lead us.
Maybe they're right.
Zus would have punched him senseless.
Yes, l know.
- Well, l miss him. - He made his choice.
(coughs)
(chatter and laughter)
Lova, what happened?
Who did this to you?
Gramov.
Two others.
l used the officers' latrine.
They say they won't shit in the same hole as a Jew.
(sings in Russian)
(whistles along)
Forgive me, Commander.
Zus. Join us.
l want to report the mistreatment of a comrade.
This man beat Comrade Lova for no reason at all.
l had a perfectly good reason.
He is a Jew.
And you are a savage.
lgnore him.
Let's drink.
(sings)
Anti-Semitism...
..is a violation of Party discipline.
He's right.
Gramov.
Apologise to our comrade.
l apologise,
Comrade Jew.
Let's have a drink.
Drink!
(sings in Russian)
(coughs painfully
(men laugh)
Hey, Arkady! When will we eat? Where is our food?
Lazar, you will eat with the rest of the women and the malbushim.
(men laugh)
(moans)
- (men continue to laugh) - (Tuvia coughs)
Tuvia?
- You must come. - l'll be there.
- The village idiot. - (men laugh)
Lazar... l saw him trying to impress the girls on guard duty,
and he slipped over, landed right in the ditch.
(laughter)
Ah, Chaya. You look lovely today.
Thank you. That looks delicious. And you look delicious.
What happened?
Arkady?
Arkady!
- What is this? - New policy.
Fighters get better food.
That is against my orders.
You are no longer commander.
(screaming)
As long as l am leader of this group, you will obey my commands.
There will be no complaining, no sitting,
no doing nothing.
Anyone who wants to leave, leave now!
Take his body into the woods. Leave it for the wolves.
Do it now.
(coughs)
Your fever broke in the night.
The medicine helped.
- How long was l asleep? - Two days.
You nursed me?
- l should get up. - No, no, no.
- l... - lt's alright. lt's alright.
- Did you study nursing? - l was at university.
What did you do before the war?
Well, my wife... Her father, he had a business.
l mean, before the Race Laws.
- And she has passed? - Yes.
l'm sorry.
What did you study at university?
- Music. - (chuckles)
You should rest.
Come.
- Thank you, Lilka. - My pleasure.
Who's got the soap? l know there is a little bit left.
Use the sand, Chaya. lt's good for your skin.
And look at that skin! And married already!
(laughter)
Oh, look at me! l've turned into a skeleton!
When we get out of this forest,
l'm going to eat only cake and grow as big as a house.
- (laughter) - Tamara! Come!
Join us! At least the sun is warm.
- l can't, Lilka. - Why?
- l am pregnant. - l had no idea!
l've been hiding it for months, but, er, it's obvious now.
- lt could come any day. - Who is the father?
lt happened when l... when l was escaping.
lt was a,...
..a man with a gun. He stopped me.
What will happen when Tuvia finds out?
- He will understand. - No. You mustn't tell him.
l won't. l won't tell him.
l feel there's new life inside me.
lt's the only thing keeping me going.
And l won't give it up.
No.
Lazar says he spotted another patrol. They're getting closer.
(baby cries)
You hear that?
Here.
- She promises not to take extra. - This is against my orders!
So you're going to shoot her, too?
Please, Tuvia. The baby is all she has to live for.
- l cannot allow it. - You must let it live.
l cannot keep the living alive!
(baby wails)
Tamara and the man who fathered this child are responsible for it.
- They must leave. - She was raped by the Germans.
You tell us to hold on to our humanity,
not to become like animals.
What better way than by bringing a life into this world of suffering and death?
lt is our only hope.
Alright.
Thank you, Tuvia!
l know what is expected of the women here, and yet you never touched me.
- Lilka... - l'm not afraid of anything, Tuvia.
l'm not even afraid of you.
You call that a move?
l call it an inevitable conclusion based on unimpeachable reasoning.
The question, my friend the genius, is what are you going to do about it?
l'm thinking about what l'll do.
(laughs) l got him!
Tuvia! We found this one and two of his friends by the second bridge.
We killed two. Aron was hurt, but he's a brave little soldier.
- We found this. - You alright?
Look what we have here!
(man) Filthy German dog!
We found this in his pouch.
Alright?
- You read this. - (shouting)
You were you looking for Jews, huh? Look! We are all Jews!
What are you going to do now?
(all shout angrily
- (woman) Animal! - (all shout)
Look at him! He doesn't shut up, huh?
(all continue to shout)
They've assigned a division to surround the forest.
- Don't they have a war to fight? - The assault begins in two days.
Passover. How fitting!
Dreck!
Tuvia! Tuvia!
(pleads in German)
- He says he has a wife and children. - So did l!
lf you let him go, he will lead them back here.
Ask if he'll promise not to reveal our location.
(translates)
He will say anything!
Stop it!
He's one of them! How many of us did he kill?
No!
(shouting continues)
We want justice!
(all) Justice!
(all shout)
My son's name was David!
He had blue eyes!
He was only 1 5!
(all shout)
My brother's name was Hanz!
(all shout)
l don't know what's going to happen to us.
lt doesn't matter.
lf l had stayed in the ghetto, l would be dead.
You saved my life.
No.
You saved mine.
Zus!
The attack is coming. We're leaving the forest.
Leaving?
What about the Bielski Otriad?
What about them?
They will be slaughtered.
My priority
is the lives of Soviet soldiers.
The Bielskis are sacrificed
so that we can escape?
Everyone must sacrifice
so that we can keep fighting.
They're my brothers.
We are all brothers.
Comrade Bielski.
Your Jewish sentimentality is heart-warming,
but counter-revolutionary!
You and your comrades will follow Gramov,...
..and retreat as l have ordered!
And if l don't?
You'll be shot.
Comrade Bielski.
You are a soldier of the Motherland.
Thank you for the honour, Comrade.
- Zus? What are we doing? - Retreating.
- What for? - l don't know.
Where will we go?
(plane engine roars)
But the children of lsrael... (coughs)
The children of lsrael were afraid to leave Egypt,
until Moses said, "Do not trust in me."
"Trust in God. He will take care of you."
And that is why, tomorrow,
we will celebrate the Passover
by sitting around and arguing, just as we have done for centuries.
- Did he see us? - l don't know.
- Tomorrow is Passover, yes? - So?
Moses. The Exodus. He left before Pharaoh could stop them.
You want to move them all? The old, the sick?
- They'll never make it. - We leave now. Spread the word.
Shimon, this is it! We are going. Children, up!
Back to your zimlankas. Tell your parents we are going. Now!
Come on, come on!
- Take this. - l want every child accounted for.
- How will they keep up? - We'll carry them if we have to.
- Take only weapons! Hurry! - Come on.
- Come with me! - Hurry, please! Hurry!
- Please! - (man) l want my glasses!
Take cover! Take cover!
Take cover! Move! Now!
Move! Move!
Come on!
Stay with me! Come on!
Get down!
Go! Get in! Move!
- Move! - (screaming)
(sound becomes muffled)
(plane engine roars)
(bomb whistles)
(explosion)
(muffled) Are you alright?
- Are you alright? - (explosion)
l'm alright! My ears!
(plane engine roars)
- Get them out of the bunkers. - Stay down!
No! lt's over. They're coming. The infantry! Go, go, go!
We need to hold them up until the rest are safe.
- Machine guns! - Yes! With Levine and Miriam! There!
Lazar, Rosa and Schmuel, there and there. And me.
- No! No! - Yes!
Hurry! Come!
- Move! We have to hurry. - Over there! Over there!
Take all these people with you. Go, go, go!
- l want to stay with you! - Go with them. lt is too dangerous.
- Rosa, down there! - l want to stay!
Go with them. lt is not safe here.
Don't try and fight them. Just slow them down and come and join us.
Chaya, please. Go with them. lt's not safe.
- No. - Go with them!
- No! - Chaya.
- Take her. - Chaya... Chaya! Move! Go!
Move, Chaya. Go.
(man) Quickly! Let me help you. Come.
(machine-gun fire)
(machine-gun fire in distance)
They're moving to the right. Go.
Go!
- (groans) - Come. Come!
(yells)
- (machine-gun fire) - (screams) Go! Go!
(gun continues to fire)
(machine-gun fire in distance)
(gunfire stops)
Oh, my God!
(plane engine roars)
(Shulman) We have to keep going!
(woman) The Germans will be here soon.
Are the others back yet?
Asael?
(Malbin) Tuvia? Do we stay or go?
(woman) We have to wait for the others. We can't leave them.
- We could hide. - l say fight them here.
- That's crazy. - Tuvia?
- My father cannot make it. - There are snakes.
- (man 1) The children. - (man 2 ) Put them on our shoulders!
- (woman) What do we do? - (man 3) We can't leave the others.
(man 4) The others are dead.
Tuvia! Tuvia!
- (woman) What are we going to do? - What's wrong with him?
- Come. - No. Do you have a weapon?
- Yes. - Give it to me.
Give it to me!
You use this on yourself before you let them take you.
- (Asael) Why are we stopping? - (man) Asael! They're alive!
(Asael) Someone take him.
They're coming!
They're coming! Why aren't we moving?
- Huh? We must keep going! - Through there?
- lt is impossible. - Nothing is impossible!
What we all have done is impossible!
Tuvia!
The troops are coming.
God will not part these waters. We will do it ourselves.
- But how? - Not by miracles!
We will do it together, by our strength!
Give me the rope from your pack. Give me your belt.
- Quickly. - There's not enough rope.
- We will link arms, make a chain. - (man) What if someone slips?
(Asael) The strong will take care of the weak. Give me your belt.
Give him your belt. Give him your belt.
- Here, take these. - Use this, too.
- (woman) l have a belt. - (man) Here.
(man) Ssh. Quiet!
(gasps)
(Shimon coughs)
(breathes painfully
(plane engine roars)
(baby cries)
How much further?
(coughs)
(coughs harshly
Tuvia!
- Keep moving, keep moving. - (coughs)
You can't sleep here. lt's not time for sleeping now. Come on.
- Come on. - My books...
(man) Asael! Look! We've made it!
(baby cries)
(coughs)
Tuvia!
(coughs)
Tuvia.
- l've got something to say. - No, no. You rest now. Don't talk.
- Don't talk. - No!
Please.
(coughs)
l... l almost lost my faith.
But you were sent by God to save us.
Ridiculous.
(coughs) l know!
But, just in case,...
..l thank Him, and l thank you.
(coughs)
(breathing falters and stops)
(engine roars in distance)
Tank! Take cover!
- Everybody, down! Down, get down! - (man) Get down! Move!
- Take cover! Take cover! - Get down!
Get down!
Tuvia! What do we do?
- Try and go back across the river? - No! We stay and fight!
Get the ammunition to the guns! To the guns!
lsaac! Take those!
(barrage of machine-gun fire)
(soldiers shout in German)
lsaac!
Ammunition. Ammunition! There.
(soldiers shout in German)
No! No!
(man) Come, come.
Strip the bodies of weapons and ammunition only. Take this.
- Anything else? - No. Get the injured into the forest.
- What about the dead? - We have to keep moving.
Everybody, gather your belongings! We must get out of the open!
- Shulman? - Yes, Tuvia?
Everybody. Tell them weapons only.
- Of course. Weapons only! - Shulman?
You've been promoted. Congratulations.
(Shulman) Weapons only! Weapons only, everyone! Move.
Let's move, please.
- Where is the rest of your unit? - (snorts) Good question.
Are you going back?
No.
Well, we have a new camp to build.
Perhaps you... have room for one more.
Let's go! Come on.
(chuckles)
- Do you see that? - What?
The forest. Beautiful, isn't it?
Yes, it is.