GFF: The Fencer (Miekkailija)

Finland’s Oscar contender and Golden Globe nominee The Fencer transforms a true story into a heart-in-the-throat crowd-pleaser. There are echoes of Dead Poets Society and Brassed Off in a film that unfolds in early 1950s Estonia. Under Soviet occupation, the country is a place where everyone fears a knock on the door. Endel Nelis, a teacher, flees Leningrad for a quiet life in the Estonian backwater of Haapsalu, where his decision to start a fencing club ruffles official feathers but inspires the pupils. However, if Endel is to truly lead the pupils, he must risk revealing his mysterious past.

(film also screens Fri 26 Feb, 3:45pm)

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