Anton

Revolution and revenge, fear and hope, love and hate all converge in a small Ukrainian village in 1919. Directed by Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated director Zaza Urushadze (Tangerines, 2013), Anton explores a little-known period of Russian history, shaped by political, ethnic and religious division.

Using the universal theme of childhood friendship, Anton contrasts the simple and enduring qualities of the relationship between Anton and Jacob to expose the cruelty of ideology. Although Anton is Catholic and Jacob Jewish, the boys’ friendship proves stronger and more resilient than the forces of politics and revolution. The region includes the descendants of German immigrants who settled the fertile farmland near the Black Sea more than a century earlier. The Germans and Jews live side-by-side facing the upheaval of revolution that convulses the countryside.

The trust Anton and Jacob have in each other, and the imaginary world they create, shields them from the fear, violence and divisions that surround them. Separated when Anton's family ultimately escapes to seek a new life, the memory of their friendship endures through the decades, shaping their lives until they finally reunite as Anton nears death.