Most Precious of Cargoes

Florida Premiere

In a snow-blanketed rural village during WWII, a poor Polish woodcutter lives with his wife, who is unable to bear children. Their small, insular world drastically changes when a baby is thrown from a passing train heading for the prison camp at Auschwitz. Seeing it as a gift from God, the woman pledges to raise this child—against the initial resistance of her husband, and in the face of the rising antisemitic fervor of the local villagers. Her commitment unveils both the depths of human compassion and the harrowing cost of hatred.

This visually stunning animated fable, adapted from Jean-Claude Grumberg’s acclaimed novel, marks an extraordinary leap into animation for French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius, the Academy Award-winning director of The Artist. Narrated by the late French icon Jean-Louis Trintignant and accompanied by Alexandre Desplat’s stirring score, the film’s hand-drawn artistry evokes a timeless, tactile beauty.

Fresh from accolades at Annecy and as the first animated film to compete for the Palme d’Or since Waltz with Bashir, The Most Precious of Cargoes is a cinematic gem that transcends time, delivering a poignant reflection on loss, resistance, and the enduring power of human connection. This modern classic promises to be cherished across generations with its profound message of love triumphing over hate.