05. May 2014

Past Continuous

Official cultural policy in socialist Eastern Europe defined film as the principal cultural form for shaping the consciousness of the masses. Yet the implementation of ideological demands for an overt politicization of the cinematic image during the socialist period turned out to be a double-edged sword, as filmmakers increasingly appropriated moving images to express dissenting political sentiments. After the change of the regime changess in Eastern Europe in 1989, the countries in the region had to re-evaluate their ideological heritage and give a new reading to the contested legacy of the 20th century. Filmmakers throughout the post-socialist space have engaged in re-examining the past by focusing on issues of identity and otherness, and exploring the mechanisms of control and resistance. This series of film screenings and subsequent discussions offers insights into a variety of ways in which the recent past continues to be revisited and relevant for to the present.

Monday, May 5, 6:00pm
In the Fog (V tumane)
Director: Sergei Loznitsa (Russia, 2012, 128 minutes)

Monday, May 12, 6:00pm
The Dark House (Dom zły)
Director: Wojciech Smarzowski (Poland, 2009, 105 minutes)

Monday, May 19, 6:00pm
All That I Love (Wszystko co kocham)
Director: Jacek Borcuch (Poland, 2009, 91 minutes, OmU)

Tuesday, May 27, 6:00pm
S.P.A.R.T.A – Territory of Happiness (S.P.A.R.T.A. – Territoria Schastia)
Director: Anna Moiseenko (2013, Russia, 56 minutes, OmU)

Leninland
Director: Askold Kurov (Russia / Germany / The Netherlands, 2013, 52 minutes, OmU)