The account of keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Jan and Antonina Zabinski, who helped save hundreds of people and animals during the Nazi invasion.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Antonina Żabińska: Jessica Chastain
- Lutz Heck: Daniel Brühl
- Jan Żabiński: Johan Heldenbergh
- Jerzyk: Michael McElhatton
- Ryszard Żabiński (Younger): Timothy Radford
- Magda Gross: Efrat Dor
- Maurycy Fraenkel: Iddo Goldberg
- Urszula: Shira Haas
- Ryszard Zabinski: Val Maloku
- Regina Kenigswein: Martha Issová
- Miecio Kenigswein: Frederick Preston
- Mr. Kinszerbaum: Goran Kostić
- The Zebra Woman: Anna Rust
- Samuel Kenigswein: Daniel Ratimorský
- Stefcio Kenigswein: Theo Preston
- Stefania Keningswein: Viktoria Zakharyanova
- Dr. Janusz Korczak: Arnošt Goldflam
- Stefan: Marián Mitaš
- Szymon Tenenbaum: Martin Hofmann
- Pietrasia: Jitka Smutná
- Dr. Ziegler: Waldemar Kobus
- Teresa Zabinska (2 years old): Viktorie Jenicková
- Teresa Zabinska (9 months old): Adira B. Cole Abbett
- Teresa Zabinska (Baby): Hana Pindurová
- Mr. Keller: Slavko Sobin
- Marysia Aszer: Alena Mihulová
- Roza Anzelowna: Nataša Burger
- Roza’s Mother: Hana Frejková
- Wanda Englert: Magdalena Lamparska
- Zofia Kossak: Vilma Frantová
- Janina Rabbe: Magdaléna Sidonová
- Wanda Filipowicz: Petra Bučková
- Senior German Officer: Roman Vejdovec
- Ghetto Gate #1 Guard: Ladislav Hampl
- Ghetto Gate #2 Guard: Václav Neužil
- Ghetto Soldier #1: Brian Caspe
- Eugenia Wasowska: Ester Kočičková
- German Soldier #1: Roman Horák
- Ghetto Soldier #2: Jakub Šmíd
- Smoking German Soldier #1: Gabriel Cohen
- Smoking German Soldier #2: Josef Guruncz
- Polish woman: Patricia Kalis
- Young Rys Zabinski (uncredited): Diego Delpiano
Film Crew:
- Costume Design: Bina Daigeler
- Original Music Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams
- Stunt Coordinator: Antje Rau
- Stunt Coordinator: Jan Böhme
- Director: Niki Caro
- Editor: David Coulson
- Executive Producer: Marc Butan
- Producer: Jeff Abberley
- Producer: Kim Zubick
- Executive Producer: Mickey Liddell
- Executive Producer: Michael Tollin
- Producer: Jamie Patricof
- Director of Photography: Andrij Parekh
- Casting: Elaine Grainger
- Executive Producer: Kevan Van Thompson
- Executive Producer: Jessica Chastain
- Screenplay: Angela Workman
- Executive Producer: Jennifer Monroe
- Stunts: Karel Basák
- Executive Producer: Pete Shilaimon
- Production Design: Suzie Davies
- Stunt Coordinator: Luděk Jelen
- Stunts: Jindřich Klaus
- Book: Diane Ackerman
- Producer: Diane Miller Levin
- Executive Producer: Robbie Tollin
- Stunts: Robin Doležal
- Stunts: Ondrej Zita
- Stunts: Filip Zafouk
- Stunts: Marecel Tesar
- Stunts: Jaroslav Stich
- Stunts: Lubomir Sotular
- Stunts: Petr Ptácek
- Stunts: Jan Polak
- Stunts: Marcela Piknova
- Stunts: Pavel Pecenka
- Stunts: Radim Pavelka
- Stunts: Jan Lupác
- Stunts: Radek Kaspar
- Stunts: Klára Coufalová
- Stunts: Roman Boháč
- Stunts: Stanislav Bezouska
Movie Reviews:
- Reno: **The zoo, the zookeepers and the WWII!**
There goes another film by a woman director. Recently I’ve seen many, that the stories told by women. It was a well made film, based on the real, about the WWII. Actually, it all begins prior like in the 1939. The happy couple who was running one of the most notable zoo in all of Europe, in the Poland capital, suddenly started to lose the animals for nazi air raids. The remains were taken away when the city, the nation was invaded. Soon the empty enclosure becomes hideout for the Jeweish. But it is not an easy task, the consequences are serious. How the rest of the story folds out was a little emotional.
The best performance by Jessica Chastain continues. She’s choosing the nice films and roles. I had expected a big name pairing up with her, but the Belgian actor was good in a small part. Like any WWII film, a heart-wrenching story. Everything was told from the zookeeper’s perspective, particularly the wife.
The story also takes us outside the enclosure, with a series of glimpses of horror visuals that we had seen in other films. So it limits to what these people did, that’s to shelter the Jewish community. Another WWII film from another perspective that one should see it. I’ve heard that some are saying it was not honest. All the true stories are not exact depictions of truth, but somewhat close, lets us know the facts. Just watch it!
_8/10_