Desperate Journey: On the red carpet with the cast and creatives at the London premiere
Based on real events and the book of the same name, Desperate Journey is an authentic film adaptation of the life of Freddie Knoller (Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen), written by Michael Radford and directed by Annabel Jankel. It takes viewers back to the younger days of a determined Holocaust survivor with colourful dreams and a steely backbone.
Set in the 1940s, Freddie and his brother were sent from their parents’ home in Vienna to escape once the Nazi invasion began. Freddie fled to France, where he lived under a new identity as Robert Metzner from Alsace-Lorraine. He befriended a man called Christos (Fernando Guallar), who employed him in his nightclubs, introducing Nazi soldiers to the glitzy allure of the Parisian bordellos. Escaping many times from the clutches of the Gestapo, he eventually got caught and imprisoned in the notorious Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps until his liberation by British troops in 1945.
The film, shot in Budapest, is underpinned by a music score from British composer Ilan Eshkeri. It brings to screen the horrors of the war, but also the quieter moments where Freddie finds love, friendship and the inner strength to survive against all odds.
The Upcoming had the pleasure of attending the premiere of Desperate Journey, where we spoke to Jankel about why she wanted to adapt Knoller’s memoirs, the importance of reaching a younger audience and the joy of working with an international cast.
Tønnesen spoke to us about taking on the role of Freddie, how he helped shape the adaptation for screen with Jankel, and what it was like filming on location in Budapest.
We spoke to Guallar about his role in the film, how he prepared to take on this character, the beautiful costumes that fitted the 1940s era and the tremendous cast that he got to work with.
Anna Mawn chatted to us about the character she plays, working with Tønnesen, the intimate dialogue between them and a special moment when a random moth landed on his hand.
We also caught up with George Sear, who plays Freddie’s brother, Eric Knoller, as he spoke about the close bond the brothers had in the past and working with a brilliant writer, director and cast.
Ezelle Alblas
Desperate Journey is released nationwide on 28th November 2025.
Watch the trailer for Desperate Journey here:
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