PERSIAN LESSONS

PERSIAN LESSONS
(Russia/Germany/Belarus, 127 min)
Directed by Vadim Perelman

SYNOPSIS:
When a group of Jewish refugees attempt to escape from occupied France in 1942 but are apprehended by Nazi soldiers, Gilles attempts to escape persecution by declaring he is Persian. Coincidentally, an SS officer is seeking a tutor to teach him the language, and Gilles is spared. What follows is an incredible story of creative resistance where a Jewish prisoner constructs an entirely made-up language to help him survive the final years of the war. Inspired by a true story and grounded in impressive leading performances, this suspenseful and unexpected WWII tale is a testament to the old adage “truth is stranger than fiction.” German, French, Italian, & Persian with English subtitles.