Le Saut

Original title: Suolis

2020
1h 24m

IMDb RATING

8.3/10

1.1K

YOUR RATING

It's Thanksgiving Day, 1970, the Atlantic Ocean. A US patrol boat meets a Soviet fishing vessel. A Soviet sailor jumps across the icy water onto the American boat in a frantic bid for freedom. To his horror, and to the outcry of the world media, the Americans return him to the Soviets. Through rare archival footage and a dramatic, first-person re-enactment by the would-be defector, 86-year-old Simas Kudirka, we relive one of the most unpredictable Cold War muddles.

Play trailer1:44

2 Videos

6 Photos

Documentary History

In 1970 Lithuanian sailor Simas Kudirka made a desperate leap for freedom from his Soviet vessel to a US Coast Guard cutter, but the Americans sent him back - inciting one of the Cold War's ... Read allIn 1970 Lithuanian sailor Simas Kudirka made a desperate leap for freedom from his Soviet vessel to a US Coast Guard cutter, but the Americans sent him back - inciting one of the Cold War's most complex and suspenseful political blunders.In 1970 Lithuanian sailor Simas Kudirka made a desperate leap for freedom from his Soviet vessel to a US Coast Guard cutter, but the Americans sent him back - inciting one of the Cold War's most complex and suspenseful political blunders.

Director
- Giedre Zickyte
Writers
- Josh Alexander
- Giedre Zickyte
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.3/10

1.1K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Giedre Zickyte
Writers
- Josh Alexander
- Giedre Zickyte
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 6 wins & 5 nominations total

Videos2

Photos5

+ 2

User reviews4

8.31.1K

Featured reviews

10akvilet-533-884838

1 h 24 minutes of astonishing fate

What a brilliant movie it is! If anyone gets an opportunity to see it, grab it right away!!!

The story itself is unbelievably shocking. I cried feeling the pain, the guilt, hope, kindness of people... I laughed a lot - the hero of the story has an amusing personality and snappy sense of humor. So many emotions in one place.

As Lithuanian born in independent Lithuania, I am surprised I have never heard of this story. My farther mentioned that he heard "something" about it during soviet times, I believe because the soviets didn't want people to be inspired by S. Kudirka.

Critic J. B. Spins writes: "It was called the U. S. Coast Guard's "Day of Shame," but it brought out the best in America." What a wonderful thing is to give a hand to a human that is reaching for one. This one person made an outstanding revelation on what life is like under the iron curtain.

The way the story is built, the details - it is just marvelous work!

9jneiberger-1

A wonderful movie that will make you sad, happy, and somber

A Lithuanian friend of mine asked me to watch this. She knew I would like it, and I did. I loved it! I had never heard this story before, and I was too young when it happened to know anything about it.

But after knowing some Lithuanians and actually seeing the KGB prison for myself a few years ago, this movie really hit me hard. I wish everyone in the "western" countries would get to know some Lithuanians or anyone else who lived under the Soviet Union. When you get to know them and their stories, it makes you appreciate what we have here, despite our faults and problems.

10kristinajure

Oh, what a story!

Surprisingly and amazingly well done!

Simas is such a cute old guy, a simple man with a big heart and a bit crazy, off course. I enjoyed it very much.

10dambrauskaite1992

Breathtaking story

Breathtaking, deep, amazing, non-prolonged film filled with unique, sad and unrepeatable story of main character. It is worth to hear and see. Fortunately, the Baltiscs and other European countries emerged from soviet occupation.