The Jump (2020)

The Jump (2020) poster

In the Cold War years of the 1970s, an American patrol boat meets a Soviet ship off the east coast of the United States for talks about fishing rights in the Atlantic. In the midst of this, while Russian commanders are aboard the U.S. Coast Guard vessel where the talks are being held, a Lithuanian sailor jumps across the ten feet of icy water separating the boats. Crash-landing on the deck of the American ship, he desperately begs for asylum. Though they try, the Americans ultimately fail to provide protection and the Soviets are allowed to capture him and brutally return him to their vessel. Thus begins a stranger-than-fiction story of imprisonment, discovery, fame, and freedom. Through rare archival footage and a dramatic first-person re-enactment of that fateful day by Simas Kudirka, the would-be defector himself, this tale of one of the biggest Cold War muddles takes us on a journey of uncanny twists of fate, and the emotional sacrifices of becoming a universal symbol of freedom.

Director: Giedrė Žickytė
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 85 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Cinematography: Rimvydas Leipus, Valdis Celmiņš
Editing: Thomas Ernst, Danielius Kokanauskis
Production: Moonmakers, Faites un Voeu, MDR, WDR/Arte, LRT, VFS Films
Country: France, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany
Language: English, Lietuvių
Original Language: lt

Keywords

cold war, asylum seekers

Trailer

The Jump Trailer

Similar Movies

More Films by Director: Giedrė Žickytė
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Jump about?
In the Cold War years of the 1970s, an American patrol boat meets a Soviet ship off the east coast of the United States for talks about fishing rights in the Atlantic. In the midst of this, while Russian commanders are aboard the U.S. Coast Guard vessel where the talks are being held, a Lithuanian sailor jumps across the ten feet of icy water separating the boats. Crash-landing on the deck of the American ship, he desperately begs for asylum. Though they try, the Americans ultimately fail to provide protection and the Soviets are allowed to capture him and brutally return him to their vessel. Thus begins a stranger-than-fiction story of imprisonment, discovery, fame, and freedom. Through rare archival footage and a dramatic first-person re-enactment of that fateful day by Simas Kudirka, the would-be defector himself, this tale of one of the biggest Cold War muddles takes us on a journey of uncanny twists of fate, and the emotional sacrifices of becoming a universal symbol of freedom.
Who directed The Jump?
The Jump was directed by Giedrė Žickytė.
Who stars in The Jump?
The Jump stars Henry Kissinger, Ralph W. Eustis, Daiva Kezys, Simas Kudirka, Grazina Paegle.
How long is The Jump?
The Jump has a runtime of 1h 25m (85 minutes).
What genre is The Jump?
The Jump is a Documentary film.
Where was The Jump produced?
The Jump was produced in France, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany.