In this true story, Wladyslaw Spielman is a well-known Jewish pianist living in Warsaw during World War II. Like almost all Jews in that city, he and his family have to go to live in the ghetto. Here he experiences humiliation at the hands of the Nazis, but also the opportunism of some of his fellow ghetto members.

Hunger, humiliation, despair, death, cruelty or indifference are the order of the day in the ghetto. Spielman experiences much of this on a regular basis and on his own skin.

Over time, Spielman’s friend calls his brother and himself into the Jewish police force. Despite the benefits he would derive from such a position, both he and his brother refuse.

Spielman loses both his brother and the rest of his family when the Jews are deported from the ghetto to a concentration camp. Spielman is the only one saved by a friend working as a guard.

He eventually manages to escape from the ghetto and, thanks to his connections, manages to successfully hide in abandoned Warsaw apartments. He experiences many hardships. From his hiding place he watches the revolt in the Jewish ghetto and later the Warsaw uprising of the Poles.

Despite the threat of execution for helping the Jews, his Polish acquaintances help him as much as they can. Soon he even experiences help from a Nazi soldier.

Parents Guide: Several scenes where killing is depicted.

Cast: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Michał Żebrowski, Frank Finlay, Maureen Lipman, Emilia Fox, Ed Stoppard, Wanja Mues, Daniel Caltagirone, Joachim Paul Assböck, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Katarzyna Bargielowska

Crew: Roman Polanski

United Kingdom / France / Germany / Poland, 2002

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