Argentina / Austria 2023, 115 min, English, German, Romanian, Spanish, Ukrainian and Yiddish, Hebrew & English subtitles
“Culture and language never die. They were assassinated.” In the film, these words are spoken in reference to the fate of Yiddish and klezmer culture, the musical tradition of Eastern European Jews. How did this happen, and who is to blame? To answer these questions, the filmmakers embark on a very romantic journey from their homeland of Argentina to Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova, where klezmer musicians had been influenced by local cultures and influenced them in turn. A few of the melodies can still be heard in villages where remnants of once-thriving Jewish communities persist. The frame story, in which the filmmakers portray characters moving between contemporary reality and a Yiddish folktale, allows them to explore not only the musical diversity they discover but also the emotional and political meanings of preserving tradition and striving to create a new shared identity.
Previous Festivals: Berlinale
Around the world Award Winners Music Panorama Road The artists: art and architecture docs The optimists
Production: Andrew Sala, Lukas Rinner, Sebastián Muro, Yael Svoboda, Leandro Koch, Paloma Schachmann
Production Company: Nabis Filmgroup, Nevada Cine
Script: Paloma Schachmann, Leandro Koch
Editing: Leandro Koch, Javier Favot
Cinematography: Leandro Koch, Roman Kasseroller
Supporters & Broadcasters:
Austrian Cultural Forum Tel Aviv, Lev Cinema