Odessa

Short Live Action

In the wake of WWII, a family flees across the Austrian-Italian Dolomites. Josef leads with quiet determination. His wife Irene follows, her reluctance growing with every step. Their young son Rolf knows only that his father is keeping him safe.
A figure appears on a distant ridge, then vanishes. Someone seems to follow them.
They find sanctuary in a Catholic church, where a single word, “Odessa”, earns them shelter. Twin brothers Alois and Michael take them in. Josef is fascinated by their mirrored faces.

A wrong turn leads the family into the wrong hamlet. Josef says the word again. This time, the eyes that meet his are not friendly. Recognition spreads. Within seconds, the local farmers have turned the family’s flight into a hunt. Josef gets them out.
When Rolf is hurt, Josef’s hands move with a skill that Irene recognizes. Something in her breaks. She chooses to cease the flight and forces a farewell between Rolf and his father. Josef walks on alone, dwarfed by the peaks of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
The silhouette returns. This time it does not keep its distance. Everything we have seen - the tenderness, the courage, the love between a father and his child - was all true. And it changes nothing. Twenty minutes in, we learn who Josef is. By then, it is too late.