Broken Promise

Based on the autobiography of Martin Friedmann-Petrášek, <strong>BROKEN PROMISE</strong> is the saga of a Slovak Jew who survives WWII thanks to ingenuity, luck, and his skills on the soccer field. A star athlete and son of a Jewish poultry trader, Martin (Samuel Spisak), lives in the idyllic town of Bánovce, unaware of rising anti-Semitism and the looming Nazi threat. As his Bar Mitzvah approaches, Europe prepares for war, and family and friends begin to flee. Narrowly escaping deportation and concealing his Jewish origins, Martin's episodic journey takes him into adulthood and away from home—from work camp, to Catholic infirmary, to monastery, and among Soviet-led partisans on the battlefield. A visual feast employing breathtaking cinematography, this gripping drama explores collective and individual anti-Semitism among invaders and liberators alike. Slovakia's official selection for the 2010 Best Foreign Language Oscar.