SEARING WERTIAME SET-PIECES

A thrilling spy film that takes us from coldest World War II Russia to the height of the Cold War in London’s swinging sixties, JOY DIVISION is a sensational directorial debut from British director Reg Traviss, featuring a top notch cast headed by Ed Stoppard (The Pianist), Bernard Hill (The Lord of the Rings, Titanic) and Michelle Gayle (from Eastenders to pop stardom).

In the last days of World War II, teenager Thomas is forced into battle against the advancing Red Army. A time of pillage and unspeakable savagery amidst the shattered towns of the Third Reich, it is during one particular savage onslaught that he loses sight of Melanie, his first love and meets Astrid, a determined survivor. Together they join the vast exodus of refugees fleeing westwards. However, by a cruel twist, he is captured by the Russians and disappears behind the Iron Curtain which falls across Europe.
17 years later, and a graduate from an elite Soviet school, Thomas is recruited by the KGB and sent to London to infiltrate a Soviet spy ring which is at the centre of suspicion at the height of the Cold War.

Whilst leading a double life he meets and falls for Yvonne, a young artist who reawakens his suppressed passion for life. Forging a close allegiance with Dennis, his contact, he is moved by the older man’s growing disillusionment and the deadly threat it poses. As he is hunted by the British Secret Police, he slips further into the world of early 60’s London and develops a taste for freedom. But like he had as a youth, Thomas must again try to run.

As engrossing as it is fast-paced, JOY DIVISION is a story about memory, youth, identity and love amidst a backdrop of war. Recounted in a series of flashbacks, the film contains superb photography and a screenplay that draws you in from the first frame. With the addition of superb acting and deft directing, JOY DIVISION is a film you can’t afford to miss.