Director’s Statement
Julia Melamed
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The enigma of the Holocaust has changed society and human consciousness no less than the invention of the wheel, the discovery of America, and the French Revolution. People found out something unpleasant about themselves and their neighbors.... or did they? Or do they still refuse to face the truth?
“The Road to Krasnostav” – a film and a riddle about the life and death of a shtetl. But the fate and destruction of a little shtetl raises questions that are still universally relevant today, 74 years later. |
…Before the war, two communities, Ukrainians and Jews, lived side by side in a Ukrainian town. In terms of percentages, it was about a 50-50 split. All told, there were over two thousand inhabitants. They lived together peacefully, amicably. They socialized and did business with each other. During the holidays, they would bring each other food and drink. On the main square there was a church, on the neighboring square – a synagogue. At the very beginning of the war, on a warm, sunny day on August 31, 1941, all of the town's the Jews were killed – by three or four German sub-machine gunners, and the rest were local executioners... In a single day...
That's one version of what happened. But there's also another....
Seventy-four years later, in May 2015, the descendants of those Jews gathered in Kiev in order to find out the circumstances of the lives and deaths of their forefathers. This fact-finding trip forms the basis of the film's narrative.
Some of the film's protagonists are convinced and attempt to prove, documents in hand, that “it wasn't the Ukrainians who were killing the Jews,” that “the Germans did it,” that it wasn't just three or four Nazis, but a whole division that “surrounded” the village, that there were some collaborators, but only a few. Especially since only Denis the cop was put on trial. They still talk about his cruelty in the village. He was the only one tried, he was the only one hanged, right in front of his mother's window. It was his fault...
So who killed the Jews? How does hate grow in people's hearts over the course of a day? What is the real face of the Holocaust, if the killers weren't Nazi sadists? What if the killers were our neighbors, who would bring us vodka during their holidays, and in turn receive gifts of hamantaschen from us for Purim? Can the Holocaust happen again? How quickly can it return? Does it only concern Jews? We only think we know the answers to these questions...
The film is valuable as a historical account. It is a reflection of what is called the third stage of the Holocaust, from June 1941 to January 1942 (when the “final solution” was adopted), when the Germans entered Soviet territory and destroyed every Jewish community in their path with Einsatzgruppen death squads.
The film was shot in May 2015 in Kiev and a few former shtetls: Slavuta, Izyaslav, Berezdov, and Krasnostav.
That's one version of what happened. But there's also another....
Seventy-four years later, in May 2015, the descendants of those Jews gathered in Kiev in order to find out the circumstances of the lives and deaths of their forefathers. This fact-finding trip forms the basis of the film's narrative.
Some of the film's protagonists are convinced and attempt to prove, documents in hand, that “it wasn't the Ukrainians who were killing the Jews,” that “the Germans did it,” that it wasn't just three or four Nazis, but a whole division that “surrounded” the village, that there were some collaborators, but only a few. Especially since only Denis the cop was put on trial. They still talk about his cruelty in the village. He was the only one tried, he was the only one hanged, right in front of his mother's window. It was his fault...
So who killed the Jews? How does hate grow in people's hearts over the course of a day? What is the real face of the Holocaust, if the killers weren't Nazi sadists? What if the killers were our neighbors, who would bring us vodka during their holidays, and in turn receive gifts of hamantaschen from us for Purim? Can the Holocaust happen again? How quickly can it return? Does it only concern Jews? We only think we know the answers to these questions...
The film is valuable as a historical account. It is a reflection of what is called the third stage of the Holocaust, from June 1941 to January 1942 (when the “final solution” was adopted), when the Germans entered Soviet territory and destroyed every Jewish community in their path with Einsatzgruppen death squads.
The film was shot in May 2015 in Kiev and a few former shtetls: Slavuta, Izyaslav, Berezdov, and Krasnostav.
JULIA MELAMED FILMOGRAPHY
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The Road to Krasnostav
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documentary, director, 2015, International Award of Merit at International Film Festival for Peace, Inspiration and Equality
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Degen
Muscovites Quod erat demonstrandum The One Risk area I am Culture Prototypes To die for the beauty The abduction of Europe Captivity. Four stories The era of radio The Master and Margarita 25/07/2000 Blessed are the poor A birth |
documentary, screenplay, director, 2014
multimedia project, consists of 7 shorts, screenplay, director, 2013/14 series, screenplay, 2012 screenplay, director, the winner of 2011 the Shanghai Short film Contest docu-drama, screenplay, director, 2010 documentary, screenplay, director, 2007 documentary, screenplay, director, 2006 documentary, screenplay, director, 2006 documentary, screenplay, director, 2005; a ward "Best Documentary" at 2006 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival documentary, screenplay, director, 2001 documentary, screenplay, director, 2001 documentary, screenplay, director, 2000 documentary, screenplay, director, 2000 documentary, screenplay, director, 2000 documentary, screenplay, director, 1998 |
