Craig defiant at premiere
Updated on 07 January 2009
Daniel Craig starred in his latest film for the love of the story it told, he said at the European premiere of Defiance.
He said the true story on which it is based was something he wanted the world to know.
"We didn't do it for the money, this movie, we did it because we loved doing it," he said.
"We had a laugh - we had to.
"It was just as soon as I read the material I saw it was something I wanted to get involved in and expose to the world."
The film tells the story of three Jewish brothers, the Bielskis, who escape Nazi-occupied Poland and take refuge in the woods they have known since childhood.
From there they begin to fight back against the Nazis and are joined in battle by men and women of all ages.
Director Edward Zwick said there was a sense of urgency about telling stories like that of the Bielski brothers while Holocaust survivors were still alive.
"This is the 11th hour," he said. "The last survivors at this moment will within five or ten years all be gone.
"There's a certain anxiety attached to that and maybe some sort of urgency to try to tell the rest of the stories that aren't known."
He also added his voice to the praise showered on Bond star Craig by his co-stars Jamie Bell and Liev Schreiber, who play the other two brothers, and Alexa Davalos.
"He was always available, he was never in his trailer, he was accessible," he said.
A horde of excited fans braved the cold to catch a glimpse of stars on the red carpet, who included Ray Mears, Terry Gilliam and Lorraine Kelly.
Craig said he did not have any further projects lined up but said he would be open to doing theatre as well as films.
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