Allt är upplyst
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Allt är upplyst
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Comedy Drama

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Jewish-American writer Jonathan Safran Foer is a collector of his family's memorabilia, although most of the items, some which he takes without asking..., would not be considered keepsakes by the average person. He places most of those items in individual Ziploc bags, and hangs them on his keepsake wall under the photograph of the person to who it is most associated. He has this compulsion in an effort to remember. He is able to tie a photograph that he receives from his grandmother, Sabine Foer, on her deathbed - it of his grandfather, Safran Foer, during the war in the Ukraine, and a young woman he will learn is named Augustine - back to a pendant he stole from his grandfather on his deathbed in 1989, the pendant of a glass encased grasshopper. Learning that Augustine somehow saved his grandfather's life leads to Jonathan going on a quest to find out the story at its source where the photograph was taken, in a now non-existent and probably largely forgotten town called Trachimbrod that was razed by the Nazis during the war, he armed only with his limited knowledge, the pendant, his grandfather's Star of David necklace, the photograph, tip "money", and an old and largely outdated map. Prior to arriving in the Ukraine, Jonathan prearranges the guide services of Odessa-based Heritage Tours, which specializes in helping Jewish expats discover their past. The company is owned and operated by three generations of the Alexander Perchov family, who generally think Jewish people are stupid for wanting to revisit their past, and spend large sums of money for their services in doing so. The three from Heritage assigned to Jonathan's file are: the company founder Alexander I ("Grandpa"), the retired, non-blind blind man who will be the driver; his "seeing eye" dog, Sammy Davis Jr. Jr., a deranged bitch of a dog; and Alexander III ("Alex"), a western pop cultural loving young man, whose broken English will need to suffice for translation. Jonathan will learn that his guides are a loving but dysfunctional lot who have little interest in helping him beyond taking his money. But during their time together, this quest will affect Jonathan, Grandpa and Alex in different ways, all tied to the value of remembering. Show More

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named Augustine. Intrigued by the photograph, Jonathan decides to travel to Ukraine to uncover the story behind it.

Arriving in the small village of Trachimbrod, Jonathan encounters a comically clueless Ukrainian tour guide named Alex, who he hires to help him find his grandfather's village. Alex's grandfather, who tells them stories along the way, is the only remaining resident of Trachimbrod. They stumble upon an eccentric and dysfunctional family, the Brodys, who believe they are the last Jews in the village.

Jonathan learns about the history of Trachimbrod, a once vibrant Jewish community that ceased to exist after the Nazis invaded Ukraine. He discovers that Augustine, the woman in the photograph, was the last survivor of the village and had a close relationship with his grandfather. Jonathan becomes obsessed with finding Augustine's fate and starts a romantic relationship with her great-granddaughter, Alex's sister, after her travel plans are disrupted.

Allt är upplyst, also known as Everything is Illuminated, is a heartwarming and humorous film that explores themes of memory, identity, and the impact of the Holocaust on individuals and communities. Through Jonathan's journey, the film sheds light on the importance of preserving history and the power of personal connection. It captures the beauty of unlikely friendships and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of tragedy. With its engaging characters and emotional storytelling, Allt är upplyst is a must-watch for anyone interested in history, cultural exploration, and the bonds that transcend time and distance.