Under Soviet rule in the 1950s, Estonia was a dreary place. A shroud of fear hung over the country as secret police routinely rounded up suspected dissidents, and few dared challenge the unforgiving regime. The Fencer follows the true story of professional fencer Endel Nelis as he flees Soviet authorities and hides in a small town, where he tries to blend in as a gym coach. But with his founding of a fencing school that still stands today, he didn't stay anonymous for long — especially when his team challenged the Soviets themselves.
See www.thefencermovie.com .
The Finnish film was written by Anna Heinämaa and directed by Klaus Härö. It was selected as the Finnish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards, and also nominated for the Golden Globe award in the Best Foreign Language Film category. I spoke with Härö by Skype in between appearances at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.