The most precious of cargoes is a tale. The story of a poor
woodcutter woman and her poor woodcutter husband, who lived at
the time of the Second World War, deep in the Polish forest. Cold,
hunger and misery were their daily lot. And the trains. Trains that
tirelessly, day and night, crossed the woods.
Synopsis
One day, when the poor woodcutter watched one of these trains
she thought was a freight train pass by, a package was ejected from it
and fell into the snow. Like a gift from heaven, this little cargo turned
out to be the one she had been waiting for so eagerly. A child.
The poor woodcutter decided, despite the danger she faced, to
become its mother. Despite her husband, who refuses to take care of
this progeny from the cursed people. Despite the laws, which mean
that she should give this child to the authorities, despite the others,
who even refuse to see a child there, and finally despite death, which
will be the price to pay to save the life of this most precious of cargoes.
Opposing the force of life to the industry of death, Grumberg’s
tale succeeds in finding something beautiful to tell in what will
forever remain a stain on the history of mankind.
About the Director
Michel Hazanavicius is a film writer, director and producer to
whom we owe “OSS 117” and “The Artist” which was rewarded all
over the world, notably by 5 Oscars, including for best director. In
2017, he created a production company with Riad Sattouf and
Florence Gastaud called Les Compagnons du Cinéma with which he
produced his film “Le Redoutable” in official competition at the
Cannes Film Festival where he returned for the third time.
He is now President of la Fémis, the greatest film school in
France.
“La plus précieuse des Marchandises – The most precious of
Cargoes” – is his eighth film.
Year
In Production
Director
Michel Hazanavicus
Head of Animation
Jean-Christophe Lie
Animators
Julien Dexant, Jean-Christophe Lie, Laurent Kircher,
Julien Grande, Toni Mengual-Llobet
Composer
Alexandre Desplat
Casting:
Jean-Louis Trintignant (narrator), Gérard Depardieu
(woodcutter’s voice)
![](https://film.claimscon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MARCH-ILLU-SEQ029-01_COMP-220105-edited-Pixlr-1024x578.jpg)
Funding
With Assistance from Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany
Supported by the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future and by the German Federal Ministry of Finance
Stills
![](https://film.claimscon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/LOGO-COLOR-1024x283.png)