East-Central European Film Series

The Polish Studies Center and Russian and East European Institute announce the Spring Semester East-Central European Film Series.  Featuring recent productions from Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, and Russia, the series presents provocative takes on historical and current issues in this area.  Films will be preceded by brief presentations and followed by discussions with area studies experts from Indiana University.  For more information, please contact Polish Studies at (812) 855-1507 or polish@indiana.edu  or the Russian and East European Institute at (812) 855-7309 or reei@indiana.edu.   Listed below are the films to be played as well as brief summaries.  Unless otherwise noted, films will be held in Student Building 150 at 7:30 PM.

Thur Jan 20: The Reverse (Rewers) (dir. Borys Lankosz,  Poland 2009, 99 mins.)

1950’s Poland: mousy Sabina doesn’t have much success with men. Then why is handsome, suave Bronisław taking such an interest in her? A supber comedic thriller.

Thur Feb 3: Fresh Air (Friss levegö) (dir. Ágnes Kocsis and Andrea Roberti, Hungary 2006, 109 mins.)

A wonderful deadpan comedy set in present-day Budapest, about the agonies of a mother-daughter relationship.

Thur Feb 17: The Cuckoo (Kukushka) (dir. Aleksandr Rogozhkin, Russia, 2002, 99 mins.)

On the remote Finnish-Soviet border in 1944, just before Finland withdraws from the war, a Sami woman finds herself sheltering two soldiers—one Russian, one Finnish. . .

Thur Mar 3: The Dark House (Dom zły) (dir. Wojciech Smarzowski, Poland 2009, 105 mins.)

A brilliant interweaving of two storylines, one involving a night of revelry in a Polish village in 1978, the other an unsolved murder under martial law. Best Director Award at the 2009 Polish Film Festival.

Wed Mar 23, 7 pm, CHEMISTRY Building 001: As If I am not there (dir. Juanita Wilson, Macedonia and Sweden, 2010, 109 mins.)

The devastating story of atrocities committed against women in the 1990’s Bosnian War. Author Slavenka Drakulić, on whose book the film is based, will join us for the screening.

Thur Apr 7: California Dreamin’ (dir. Cristian Nemescu, Romania 2007, 155 mins.)

Overzealous railway official Doiaru stops an American military transport on its way to Kosovo to support the NATO intervention in 1999; Captain Jones and his marines end up having to stay in a tiny Romanian village. . .

Thur Apr 21: 33 Scenes from Life (33 sceny z życia) (dir. Małgosia Szumowska, Poland 2008, 100 mins.)

A brilliant, hilarious, moving slice of Bohemian life, based on the director’s own family. One of the most talked-about Polish films in years.