The Pin

Lithuania―circa 1941: An embittered elderly Shomer, a religious watchman responsible for guarding the souls of the dead before their burial, comes face-to-face with his long lost first love Leah when her dead body is wheeled into the morgue one fateful night. Time melts as he relives their days and nights spent hiding in a barn in Lithuania, fighting for survival as World War Two rages around them. Brought together in these extreme circumstances, what starts as mistrust develops into love, marriage and ultimately murder. In the end, the Shomer is able to find peace after a lifetime of regret by fulfilling a promise he made to the young Leah on their last night together. ~ Naomi Jaye. THE PIN is the first Yiddish film to be made in Canada, and was partly inspired by the writer/director’s late grandmother, Leah, whose personal phobia formed the core of this moving story.

Directed by Naomi Jaye, The Pin leans on a strong ensemble — Milda Gecaitė, Grisha Pasternak, Paskal Vaklev — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2013.