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ABOUT CULTURE - 12.2008
A theater hit with Polish accents
The most important event of the new theater season in Paris is the piece ‘Shitz,’ by Hanoch Levin, directed by Cecile Backes, who emphasizes that it ‘draws on Polish theater, because it does not concern itself with widespread good taste.’ The title character, Shitz, is a small-time sixty-plus businessman who lives somewhere in Poland with his family. In addition, Shitz’s wife is Polish Cesia and all this is accompanied by klezmer music, whose rhythm is like that of music from our country. The French are surprised and fascinated by ‘Shitz,’ because they are not used to theater like that. The director claims that ‘if there is any Polish-ness in this performance, it is only internal and subconscious.’ It is in honor of Tadeusz Kantor, the great Polish director from Cracow, who is highly valued on the Seine, and who passed away in 1990.
A film about Irena Sendler
The American television station CBS is making a movie about the heroic Polish nurse, Irena Sendler, who saved the lives of 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw ghetto during the Second World War. The role of Ms. Sendler, who died in May this year at the age of 98, will be played by an outstanding actress and Oscar laureate, 26-year-old Anna Paquin. Let us also recall that the actress received an Oscar when she was 11 years old for her role in the film ‘The Piano’ by Jane Campion. The film about Irena Sendler is based on a novel by Anna Mieszkowska called ‘Mother of the Children of the Holocaust’ and is supposed to be shown on American television in April of next year.
Warsaw awarded
Warsaw gained the position of vice-leader of the Eurocities Culture Forum in Istanbul. O behalf of the capital of Poland, this function will be carried out by Ewa Malinowska-Grupińska, Chairperson of the Warsaw City Council. The Department for Foreign Cooperation of the City of Warsaw will also support her activities. The position of Chair of the Forum has been granted to the city of Nantes in France. The Eurocities Association of European Cities is an organization consisting of more than 100 most important European cities. Its task is to co-create policy for local governments at the European level, and support cooperation between cities. Eurocities works in six thematic groups, of which the Culture Forum is the largest.
The first Polish-Israeli film
‘The realization of this film was the most shocking emotional experience in my life,’ says Uri Barbash, who created the first Polish-Israeli film ‘Wiosna 1941’ (Spring 1941), the premiere of which took place on the 15th of October at a festival in Hajfa. The film tells about the Holocaust and about love in times of extermination. In order to increase the international significance of the film, it was made in English. The main roles are played by British actors. The director, who was nominated for an Oscar in 1984 for the film ‘Nad murami’ (Beyond the Walls) is already planning an continuation of ‘Wiosna 1941î, which is going to be the first part of a trilogy. In the second, the director shows the fate of a Jew who worked as a trusty in a German concentration camp in order to save his own life. In the third part, Barbash presents the story of Marek Edelman, a hero of the Warsaw ghetto uprising who is still alive today.
Attention! Interesting exhibit!
An exhibition about orientalism in paintings, drawings and prints in Poland in the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century has proven to be very popular. Polish artists in those times travelled with their sketchbooks to the Middle East, Northern Africa, and also visited Crimea, the Caucasus Mountains, Mauritanian Spain or Central Asia. Some went there because a war was raging or because there were scientific jobs there and they were needed to report on those events. Some were also interested in the curiosities and exoticness of the world. They faithfully reproduced even the smallest details in their works. And who knows if this was not their greatest achievement - stopping time. The exhibit was organized by the National Museum in Warsaw. It will last until the 21st of December.
Woody Allen will play in Warsaw
Woody Allen will perform in Warsaw as a clarinet player. On the 28th of December, he will play at Sala Kongresowa with The Eddy Davies New Orleans Jazz Band. Allen has been giving concerts for more than 30 years. He started with The New Orleans Funeral and Ragtime Orchestra at the beginning of the 1970s. He performed at Michael’s Pub in New York. Woody Allen takes clarinet playing very seriously. If someone expects celebrity showing off, they will be disappointed. The artist plays somewhat shyly, dressed in a sweater and corduroys. Allen plays on Monday evenings at the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan. Every year, in December, he goes on a European tour with the band. The band is led by Eddy Davies (banjo).
The most important event of the new theater season in Paris is the piece ‘Shitz,’ by Hanoch Levin, directed by Cecile Backes, who emphasizes that it ‘draws on Polish theater, because it does not concern itself with widespread good taste.’ The title character, Shitz, is a small-time sixty-plus businessman who lives somewhere in Poland with his family. In addition, Shitz’s wife is Polish Cesia and all this is accompanied by klezmer music, whose rhythm is like that of music from our country. The French are surprised and fascinated by ‘Shitz,’ because they are not used to theater like that. The director claims that ‘if there is any Polish-ness in this performance, it is only internal and subconscious.’ It is in honor of Tadeusz Kantor, the great Polish director from Cracow, who is highly valued on the Seine, and who passed away in 1990.
A film about Irena Sendler
The American television station CBS is making a movie about the heroic Polish nurse, Irena Sendler, who saved the lives of 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw ghetto during the Second World War. The role of Ms. Sendler, who died in May this year at the age of 98, will be played by an outstanding actress and Oscar laureate, 26-year-old Anna Paquin. Let us also recall that the actress received an Oscar when she was 11 years old for her role in the film ‘The Piano’ by Jane Campion. The film about Irena Sendler is based on a novel by Anna Mieszkowska called ‘Mother of the Children of the Holocaust’ and is supposed to be shown on American television in April of next year.
Warsaw awarded
Warsaw gained the position of vice-leader of the Eurocities Culture Forum in Istanbul. O behalf of the capital of Poland, this function will be carried out by Ewa Malinowska-Grupińska, Chairperson of the Warsaw City Council. The Department for Foreign Cooperation of the City of Warsaw will also support her activities. The position of Chair of the Forum has been granted to the city of Nantes in France. The Eurocities Association of European Cities is an organization consisting of more than 100 most important European cities. Its task is to co-create policy for local governments at the European level, and support cooperation between cities. Eurocities works in six thematic groups, of which the Culture Forum is the largest.
The first Polish-Israeli film
‘The realization of this film was the most shocking emotional experience in my life,’ says Uri Barbash, who created the first Polish-Israeli film ‘Wiosna 1941’ (Spring 1941), the premiere of which took place on the 15th of October at a festival in Hajfa. The film tells about the Holocaust and about love in times of extermination. In order to increase the international significance of the film, it was made in English. The main roles are played by British actors. The director, who was nominated for an Oscar in 1984 for the film ‘Nad murami’ (Beyond the Walls) is already planning an continuation of ‘Wiosna 1941î, which is going to be the first part of a trilogy. In the second, the director shows the fate of a Jew who worked as a trusty in a German concentration camp in order to save his own life. In the third part, Barbash presents the story of Marek Edelman, a hero of the Warsaw ghetto uprising who is still alive today.
Attention! Interesting exhibit!
An exhibition about orientalism in paintings, drawings and prints in Poland in the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century has proven to be very popular. Polish artists in those times travelled with their sketchbooks to the Middle East, Northern Africa, and also visited Crimea, the Caucasus Mountains, Mauritanian Spain or Central Asia. Some went there because a war was raging or because there were scientific jobs there and they were needed to report on those events. Some were also interested in the curiosities and exoticness of the world. They faithfully reproduced even the smallest details in their works. And who knows if this was not their greatest achievement - stopping time. The exhibit was organized by the National Museum in Warsaw. It will last until the 21st of December.
Woody Allen will play in Warsaw
Woody Allen will perform in Warsaw as a clarinet player. On the 28th of December, he will play at Sala Kongresowa with The Eddy Davies New Orleans Jazz Band. Allen has been giving concerts for more than 30 years. He started with The New Orleans Funeral and Ragtime Orchestra at the beginning of the 1970s. He performed at Michael’s Pub in New York. Woody Allen takes clarinet playing very seriously. If someone expects celebrity showing off, they will be disappointed. The artist plays somewhat shyly, dressed in a sweater and corduroys. Allen plays on Monday evenings at the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan. Every year, in December, he goes on a European tour with the band. The band is led by Eddy Davies (banjo).
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Information published at 15 December 2008