Shamokin, PA
Vincent Chesney
These past few days have been numbing. Although we in the Anthracite Coal Region may only be the fingertip on the hand that is Poland, we still flinch whenever the motherland is harmed. Even those that have no Polish identity can certainly appreciate Poland's loss by imagining a comparative catastrophe in America.
It is my hope that by screening Wajda's Katyń that the students here can appreciate Poland as a partner in liberty whose history intertwines with its young fellow Eagle: America. Boże, coś Polskę!
Luzerne County Community College - Shamokin's Slavic Film Fest to memorialize Polish tragedy
This past weekend Poland suffered a devastating tragedy. Ironically the Polish delegation was en route to the seventieth anniversary of another Polish tragedy: the Katyń massacre. In memory of the late president Lech Kaczyński, who was an honorary patron of the film, and the nearly 100 political and cultural leaders who died in the crash Luzerne County Community College - Shamokin will show national and international award-winning Katyń (2007). The film represents the second year of Luzerne's Slavic film festival. The film festival is open to the public and has free admission.
One week ago the film made its debut on Russian television channel Russia K (Kultura) and following the air plane crash the film was rebroadcast on Russia 1 (Rossiya), one of Russia's two major television channels. There is a strong Slavic heritage in the Pennsylvania Anthracite Coal Region. This tragedy has political, cultural and personal implications. The film Katyń offer viewers a glimpse into the storied history of World War II and its consequences.
Drama (Dramat):
Katyń 2007
Oscar Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, the film won various American and international awards. In 1939 Poland was invaded by both Nazis and Soviets starting World War II, soon thousands of Polish POWs are found executed in a Russian forest. The new Soviet government blames the Nazis, but some brave mothers, wives and daughters begin to piece together the real culprits of the massacre. in Polish with English subtitles; 121 minutes
Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 7pm
Auditorium of the Career and Arts Center,
Luzerne County Community College
2 East Arch Street in Shamokin
Foreword by Professor Vincent Chesney
Open to the Public - Free Admission
