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Victor Young Perez (2013) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Victor Young Perez (2013) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2013 · 103 mins · French
Directed by
Jacques Ouaniche
Starring
Alaa Safi, Patrick Bouchitey, Bruce Payne, Steve Suissa, Evelin Hagoel, Sava Dragunchev

Victor Perez was a Jewish boxer who achieved the world flyweight championship in 1931 and 1932. Following the Nazi occupation of Paris in 1943, he was deported to Auschwitz concentration camp. There, he endured brutal conditions, forced into slave labor and compelled to fight in violent boxing matches for the entertainment of the Nazi guards. This is the astonishing and harrowing true story of his survival.

Drama History Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Characters explained (6)
  2. 2 Where & when it takes place
  3. 3 Themes & meaning (3)
  4. 4 Character & meaning questions
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Every angle

6 main characters · contains spoilers

Victor Young Perez Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Victor Young Perez (2013), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Victor Young Perez — Brahim Asloum

    Victor Perez is a Tunisian Jewish boxer who rises to become world flyweight champion in the early 1930s. The film follows his ascent with the guidance of a mentor and his personal relationships, before the war reshapes his fate. In captivity, he endures brutal imprisonment and forced boxing, highlighting both his physical prowess and moral endurance.

    • 🥊 Boxer
    • 🧭 Survivor

  • Leon Bellières — Patrick Bouchitey

    Leon Bellier is the trainer who guides Victor to the world title, serving as a paternal figure and strategic mind behind his rise. His belief in Victor and ability to push through barriers embodies the role of mentorship in sport. The bond between trainer and fighter is central to Perez's early success.

    • 🏋️‍♂️ Coach
    • 🧭 Mentor

  • Mireille Balin — Isabella Orsini

    Mireille Balin is the French-Italian actress with whom Victor has a significant romantic relationship. Her presence adds personal stakes to his public life and frames the emotional cost of fame. The relationship highlights the tension between public spectacle and private vulnerability.

    • 💘 Relationship
    • 🎭 Fame

  • Commandant Heinrich Schwarz — Bruce Payne

    Heinrich Schwarz is the Nazi camp commander who embodies cruelty and brutality. The character represents the terrifying power structure of the camps and the perverse entertainment of forced boxing. His actions drive the central conflict of Perez's wartime ordeal and test his resilience.

    • 🧯 Villain
    • ⚖️ Oppression

  • Benjamin 'Kid' Perez — Steve Suissa

    Benjamin Perez is Victor's older brother and initial boxing partner, providing familial support and shared ambition in their early days. His presence underscores the close-knit family bonds that inform Victor's identity and drive. The brothers' partnership reflects the hopeful beginnings before war fragments their lives.

    • 👊 Family
    • 🧭 Loyalty

  • La mère de Victor — Evelin Hagoel

    Victor's mother embodies the familial love and concern that anchors his life in Tunisia and beyond. Her character represents the emotional grounding that persists through fame and hardship. She stands as a quiet witness to the risks and sacrifices endured by her son.

    • 👩‍👦 Family
    • 💫 Resilience

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:31

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Setting

Where and When Does Victor Young Perez Take Place?

The setting of Victor Young Perez (2013): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

1930s–1940s

The film spans the early 1930s, highlighting Victor Perez's rise to World Flyweight Champion in 1931–1932. It then moves into the 1940s, detailing Nazi occupation of Paris, the Drancy internment camp, and deportation to Auschwitz in 1943. The narrative culminates with the death march in January 1945, marking the final months of World War II.

Location

Tunisia, Paris, Drancy internment camp, Auschwitz, Monowitz

The story traces Victor's roots in Tunisia, a country in North Africa that frames his early life. Paris serves as the hub of his ascent to world champion in the early 1930s, where talent meets opportunity and public fame. The narrative then shifts to the horrors of World War II as he is arrested in Paris, held in Drancy, and deported to Auschwitz, with the Monowitz subcamp where forced boxing becomes a brutal spectacle. The journey through Auschwitz and its subcamp underscores the brutal realities of Nazi persecution.

  • 🇹🇳 Tunisia
  • 🇫🇷 Paris
  • 🏚️ Drancy internment camp
  • 🕊️ Auschwitz
  • 🏭 Monowitz

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:31

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3 major themes

Victor Young Perez Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Victor Young Perez (2013) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Perseverance

    Victor Perez's journey from a small, determined fighter to a world champion is a study in relentless training, discipline, and resilience. The film traces how his skill and willpower carried him through early glory and personal hardship. Even when confronted with overwhelming danger, the drive to compete and survive remains central.

  • Persecution

    The narrative places Jewish identity and persecution at the forefront, showing the abrupt shift from athletic fame to imprisonment and dehumanization in Drancy and Auschwitz. The forced boxing matches illustrate the grotesque perversion of sport under Nazi rule. This theme underscores the cruelty faced by Perez and countless others during the Holocaust.

  • Memory

    The film preserves the memory of a remarkable athlete who became a symbol of endurance amid atrocities. By detailing Perez's experiences, it honors victims and survivors alike and emphasizes the importance of remembering stories that bridge sport and history. The death march and survival against odds leave a lasting message about resilience and remembrance.

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:31

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Character & theme questions

Victor Young Perez Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Victor Young Perez (2013): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is the story set?

The film follows Victor Perez across multiple locations: his early life in Tunisia, his rise to fame in 1930s Paris, and his imprisonment in Nazi-occupied France including Drancy internment camp and the Auschwitz-Monowitz concentration camp subcamp.

  • setting
  • tunisia
  • paris
  • auschwitz
  • drancy
Q2

What time period does the movie cover?

The film spans from the early 1930s, when Victor Perez becomes world flyweight champion in 1931-1932, through the Nazi occupation of Paris in 1943, his deportation to Auschwitz, and ends with the death march in January 1945.

  • 1930s
  • 1940s
  • time period
  • ww2
  • holocaust
Q3

Who was Victor Perez?

Victor Perez was a Tunisian Jewish boxer who achieved the world flyweight championship in 1931 and 1932. He was later deported to Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II, where he was forced to fight in boxing matches for Nazi guards.

  • victor perez
  • boxer
  • champion
  • tunisian
  • jewish
Q4

What are the main themes of the film?

The film explores three central themes: perseverance through Victor's relentless drive as an athlete surviving impossible circumstances; persecution highlighting Jewish identity and the brutal dehumanization in Nazi camps; and memory honoring victims and survivors of the Holocaust.

  • themes
  • perseverance
  • persecution
  • memory
  • holocaust
Q5

Who is Leon Bellières in the story?

Leon Bellières is Victor's trainer and mentor who guides him to the world flyweight title, serving as a paternal figure and strategic mind behind his success. Their bond represents the crucial role of mentorship in Victor's athletic journey.

  • leon bellieres
  • trainer
  • mentor
  • boxing coach
Q6

Who is Heinrich Schwarz?

Heinrich Schwarz is the Nazi camp commander at Auschwitz who embodies cruelty and brutality. He represents the terrifying power structure of the camps and orchestrates the forced boxing matches that serve as perverse entertainment for the guards.

  • heinrich schwarz
  • commander
  • nazi
  • auschwitz
  • antagonist
Q7

What was forced boxing in the camps?

At Auschwitz-Monowitz, Victor Perez was compelled to fight violent boxing matches for the entertainment of Nazi guards. These forced matches were a grotesque perversion of sport, using prisoners as spectacles while they endured slave labor and brutal conditions.

  • forced boxing
  • auschwitz
  • monowitz
  • camp
  • brutality
Q8

How does the film portray the Holocaust?

The film unflinchingly depicts the atrocities of the Holocaust, showing the abrupt shift from Victor's athletic fame to imprisonment and dehumanization in Drancy and Auschwitz. It illustrates the cruel treatment of Jewish prisoners and the systematic persecution faced by victims.

  • holocaust
  • nazi
  • persecution
  • jewish
  • deportation
Q9

Who is Benjamin 'Kid' Perez?

Benjamin Perez is Victor's older brother who served as his initial boxing partner. Their close bond represents the familial support and shared ambition that defined Victor's early career before the war fragmented their lives.

  • benjamin perez
  • brother
  • kid
  • family
  • boxing
Q10

What was Paris like in the 1930s for Victor?

Paris served as the hub of Victor's ascent to world champion in the early 1930s, where his boxing talent met opportunity and public fame. The city represents his years of glory before the Nazi occupation transformed his fate.

  • paris
  • 1930s
  • boxing fame
  • champion
  • city
Q11

Did Victor Perez survive the Holocaust?

The film depicts Victor's survival through the death march in January 1945, though his story ultimately reflects the tragic trajectory of Holocaust victims. The narrative emphasizes his resilience against impossible odds within a system designed for annihilation.

  • survival
  • death march
  • 1945
  • outcome
  • resilience

Movie threads

More Movies Like Victor Young Perez, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Victor Young Perez tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Brutal Survival Stories like Victor Young Perez

True stories of human endurance in the face of systematic cruelty and dehumanization. If you were moved by the harrowing true story of Victor Young Perez, explore more movies like it. These films focus on incredible survival against systematic oppression, depicting the strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable cruelty and dehumanization.

  • harrowing
  • oppressive
  • brutal
  • tragic
  • survivalist
  • grim
  • Tone: bleak, harrowing, grim
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives follow protagonists who are stripped of their freedom and dignity, forced to navigate a hostile environment where survival is a daily battle. The journey is often linear, focusing on the physical and psychological toll of enduring extreme conditions, with the climax centered on a test of will rather than a traditional victory.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their intense focus on the raw, brutal experience of survival. They share a heavy emotional weight, a bleak tone, and a straightforward narrative drive that makes the viewer feel the oppressive weight of the protagonist's circumstances, creating a powerful and sobering viewing experience.

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1966
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Hunger

2008
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2022
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Movies about War-Torn Athletes like Victor Young Perez

The lives of celebrated athletes shattered and tested by the horrors of war. For viewers interested in stories like Victor Young Perez, this list features films about athletes whose lives are irrevocably changed by war. These dramas show how the discipline of sports clashes with the brutality of conflict, creating powerful tales of fallen champions and tested spirits.

  • tragic
  • historical
  • war drama
  • biographical
  • fallen hero
  • sports
  • Tone: tragic, bleak, sobering
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins by establishing the athlete's peak success and identity, which is then violently disrupted by the outbreak of war. Their physical skills, once a source of glory, become a tool for survival or a point of exploitation by their captors, leading to a profound internal conflict between their past identity and their current struggle.

Why they belong together: These movies share a specific character archetype—the fallen champion—and a powerful thematic contrast between the order of sport and the chaos of war. They blend the genres of sports biography and historical drama, resulting in tragic, emotionally heavy stories with a steady, character-driven pace.

Finish Line movie poster

Finish Line

1989
Million Dollar Baby movie poster

Million Dollar Baby

2004
The Travelling Players movie poster

The Travelling Players

1975
Goalie movie poster

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2019
Tunes of Glory movie poster

Tunes of Glory

1960
Eight Men Out movie poster

Eight Men Out

1988
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2004
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2020

Every angle

Victor Young Perez (2013) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Victor Young Perez in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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