ONCE UPON A TIME… IN NAZI OCCUPIED FRANCE One of the most celebrated filmmakers of our time harnesses the power of cinema itself to rewrite history in this electrifying WWII thriller. Narrowly escaping the massacre of her entire family by the SS, Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) flees to Paris and forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema. Meanwhile, a guerilla band of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), are waging a bloody war of attrition behind enemy lines but Europe remains beneath Nazi bootheels. Believing themselves unstoppable, the leaders of the Third Reich assemble in Paris for the premiere of propaganda epic Nations Pride. The location? Shosannas cinema. With all the rotten eggs in one basket, “The Basterds” join forces with British Commando Lt. Archie Hicox (Michael Fassbender) and German film star/undercover allied agent Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) to infiltrate the premiere. Their plan? Blow up the basket…
Quentin Tarantino directs this ensemble action drama set in Europe during World War Two. In the first of two converging storylines, Shosanna (Melanie Laurent), a young Jewish woman in occupied France, seeks to avenge the death of her parents by the Nazis after narrowly escaping execution herself and fleeing to Paris. There she creates a new identity for herself as the owner and manager of a cinema. Meanwhile, a group of Jewish American soldiers known as ‘The Basterds’, led by First Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), joins forces with German actress and undercover agent Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) to take down the leaders of The Third Reich. The Basterds cross paths with Shosanna when her cinema, which has been commandeered by the Nazis for the screening of their latest propaganda film, becomes the target for their next attack. However, unbeknown to them, Shosanna has devised a revenge plan of her own. Christoph Waltz gained the Best Supporting Actor Awards at both the 2010 BAFTAs and Academy Awards for his portrayal of the devious Colonel Hans Landa.
