Under Jakob's Ladder
Encyclopedia
Under Jakob's Ladder is an independent drama film by CubeCity Entertainment
. Based on a true story, it tells how a teacher named Jakob is arrested and thrown into a Soviet prison in the early 1940s. Mann Munoz directed the film and Roberto Munoz
produced. Jeff Stewart
plays the lead role of Jakob Seel. The film also stars were Christopher Elliott
, Sal Rendino, Quentin McCuiston, Sean Patrick Folster, Matthew R. Staley, Chloe Roe, and Ken Jennings
.
The film is set in the Soviet Union prior to World War II
. It features the lives of the ethnic minority Germans from Russia
.
) struggles with his growing sense of worthlessness after he is dismissed from his position as a teacher in a Soviet village. A neighbor asks him to say a prayer at the funeral of her brother. He agrees, even though he knows it is illegal. But Jakob is reported and he is arrested by the secret police later that night. They take him from his daughter and granddaughter, Marta (Chloe Roe).
Thrown into prison, Jakob and his fellow political prisoners find themselves under the heel of the ruthless warden: Nikolai (Christopher Elliott
). Unknown to them, Nikolai has an old vendetta against Jakob. One by one, during the night, prisoners mysteriously disappear. To help distract them from their terror of being taken, Jakob consents to the prisoners' request to form a choir. In doing so, he unexpectedly finds the sense of worth he had craved. As he rehearses the men, he gains their respect, especially that of the embittered prison bully, Bruno (Sal Rendino).
Then one day, the man responsible for Jakob's arrest—Oigen (Ken Jennings
) -- is also imprisoned. Now, Jakob faces the test of a lifetime—to see if he's ready to forgive the unforgivable.
.
During the 18th century, Seel's German-speaking ancestors were among those invited by Catherine the Great (and her son Paul
and grandson Alexander
who ruled after her) to settle the Russian territories. Communist rule was established as a result of the 1917 Russian Revolution, and Stalin came to power in the late 1920s. In the 1930s, Stalin began his political purges
. The secret police
would always come at night in a vehicle that was nicknamed the Black Raven. Men became scarce in the villages and it wasn't long before Seel himself was arrested—after praying a simple prayer at a funeral.
2011 Manhattan Film Festival
CubeCity Entertainment
CubeCity Entertainment, Inc. is an independent film and theatre production company, based in New York.-History of CubeCity:CubeCity Entertainment was founded by Roberto Munoz. Originally located in the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario, Canada, it was called called P.M. Productions...
. Based on a true story, it tells how a teacher named Jakob is arrested and thrown into a Soviet prison in the early 1940s. Mann Munoz directed the film and Roberto Munoz
Roberto Muñoz (producer)
Roberto Munoz is a Producer, Director, and Screenwriter. He founded and is president of the not-for-profit New York based CubeCity Entertainment, Inc. He is one of the writing team members that writes under the name R.M.M. Munoz.-Early life:...
produced. Jeff Stewart
Jeff Stewart (actor)
Jeffrey Stewart is a Scottish actor, probably best known as PC Reg Hollis in the ITV drama The Bill, a role he played from 1984 to 2008....
plays the lead role of Jakob Seel. The film also stars were Christopher Elliott
Christopher Elliott
Christopher Elliott is an Australian Actor in Sydney represented by Carolyn White . He grew up at 14 Sheldon Street Nudgee, Qld., and attended Virginia State Primary School 1967-1974 and then Brisbane Grammar School 1975-1979.-Study:Christopher is an alumnus of Stella Adler Studio Of Acting New...
, Sal Rendino, Quentin McCuiston, Sean Patrick Folster, Matthew R. Staley, Chloe Roe, and Ken Jennings
Ken Jennings (actor)
Ken Jennings is an actor most famous for his 1979 role as Tobias Ragg in Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street...
.
The film is set in the Soviet Union prior to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It features the lives of the ethnic minority Germans from Russia
History of Germans in Russia and the Soviet Union
The German minority in Russia and the Soviet Union was created from several sources and in several waves. The 1914 census puts the number of Germans living in Russian Empire at 2,416,290. In 1989, the German population of the Soviet Union was roughly 2 million. In the 2002 Russian census, 597,212...
.
Plot
Jakob Seel (Jeff StewartJeff Stewart (actor)
Jeffrey Stewart is a Scottish actor, probably best known as PC Reg Hollis in the ITV drama The Bill, a role he played from 1984 to 2008....
) struggles with his growing sense of worthlessness after he is dismissed from his position as a teacher in a Soviet village. A neighbor asks him to say a prayer at the funeral of her brother. He agrees, even though he knows it is illegal. But Jakob is reported and he is arrested by the secret police later that night. They take him from his daughter and granddaughter, Marta (Chloe Roe).
Thrown into prison, Jakob and his fellow political prisoners find themselves under the heel of the ruthless warden: Nikolai (Christopher Elliott
Christopher Elliott
Christopher Elliott is an Australian Actor in Sydney represented by Carolyn White . He grew up at 14 Sheldon Street Nudgee, Qld., and attended Virginia State Primary School 1967-1974 and then Brisbane Grammar School 1975-1979.-Study:Christopher is an alumnus of Stella Adler Studio Of Acting New...
). Unknown to them, Nikolai has an old vendetta against Jakob. One by one, during the night, prisoners mysteriously disappear. To help distract them from their terror of being taken, Jakob consents to the prisoners' request to form a choir. In doing so, he unexpectedly finds the sense of worth he had craved. As he rehearses the men, he gains their respect, especially that of the embittered prison bully, Bruno (Sal Rendino).
Then one day, the man responsible for Jakob's arrest—Oigen (Ken Jennings
Ken Jennings (actor)
Ken Jennings is an actor most famous for his 1979 role as Tobias Ragg in Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street...
) -- is also imprisoned. Now, Jakob faces the test of a lifetime—to see if he's ready to forgive the unforgivable.
Cast
- Jeff StewartJeff Stewart (actor)Jeffrey Stewart is a Scottish actor, probably best known as PC Reg Hollis in the ITV drama The Bill, a role he played from 1984 to 2008....
as Jakob Seel - Christopher ElliottChristopher ElliottChristopher Elliott is an Australian Actor in Sydney represented by Carolyn White . He grew up at 14 Sheldon Street Nudgee, Qld., and attended Virginia State Primary School 1967-1974 and then Brisbane Grammar School 1975-1979.-Study:Christopher is an alumnus of Stella Adler Studio Of Acting New...
as Nikolai - Sal Rendino as Bruno
- Quentin McCuiston as Yasha
- Sean Patrick Folster as Yosif
- Matthew R. Staley as Karl
- Peter Iasillo, Jr. as Vovik
- Chloe Roe as Marta
- Alexandra Tejeda Rieloff as Emma
- Ken JenningsKen Jennings (actor)Ken Jennings is an actor most famous for his 1979 role as Tobias Ragg in Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street...
as Oigen - Horacio F. Lazo as Pepchik
Based on a true story
Under Jakob's Ladder was inspired by the life of a real teacher who lived in the Soviet Union in the 1930s: Jakob Seel. His life story is representative of so many others who lived during Stalinist great purges. He belonged to an ethnic minority called the Germans from RussiaGermans from Russia
Germans from Russia refers to the large numbers of ethnic Germans who emigrated from the Russian Empire, peaking in the late 19th century. The upper Great Plains in the United States and southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan have large areas populated primarily of descendants of Germans from Russia...
.
During the 18th century, Seel's German-speaking ancestors were among those invited by Catherine the Great (and her son Paul
Paul I of Russia
Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:...
and grandson Alexander
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
who ruled after her) to settle the Russian territories. Communist rule was established as a result of the 1917 Russian Revolution, and Stalin came to power in the late 1920s. In the 1930s, Stalin began his political purges
Great Purge
The Great Purge was a series of campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin from 1936 to 1938...
. The secret police
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
would always come at night in a vehicle that was nicknamed the Black Raven. Men became scarce in the villages and it wasn't long before Seel himself was arrested—after praying a simple prayer at a funeral.
Awards
2010 Redemptive Film FestivalRedemptive Film Festival
Redemptive Film Festival is a film festival located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded in 2006, it has been an annual event in November. It showcases films, both shorts and of feature-length, professional and students filmmakers. Entries are judged by a panel of film and television professionals...
- Redemptive Storyteller Award
2011 Manhattan Film Festival
- Best Actor (Jeff StewartJeff Stewart (actor)Jeffrey Stewart is a Scottish actor, probably best known as PC Reg Hollis in the ITV drama The Bill, a role he played from 1984 to 2008....
) - Best Period Piece