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About the film:
"Imagine the scene in Casablanca in which the French patrons sing 'La Marseillaise' in defiance of the Germans, then multiply its power by a factor of thousands, and you've only begun to imagine the force of The Singing Revolution."
- Matt Zoller Seitz, The New York Times
Most people don’t think about singing when they think about revolution. But song was the weapon of choice when Estonians sought to free themselves from decades of Soviet occupation. The Singing Revolution is an inspiring account of one nation’s dramatic rebirth. It is the story of humankind’s irrepressible drive for freedom and self-determination.
If Hollywood made this story up, no one would believe it. And yet this story of hope, nonviolence, and perseverance has been playing to standing ovations in theaters across the country. For more information about The Singing Revolution, check out the film's website at singingrevolution.com. |
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June 23, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Room 1217, Mosse Humanities Building
455 N. Park Street
(Click here for a map) |
Lecture:
"Post-Soviet Borderlands as Diaspora Spaces:
The Case of Setomaa" |
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 Robert J. Kaiser
UW-Madison Professor of Geography
About the lecture: This lecture will explore the reconfiguration of commemorative landscapes in Setomaa, the homeland of the Seto people. Setomaa, situated in southeastern Estonia on the border with Russia, provides an ideal case study of power, place, and identity in borderlands, where various actors and institutions are engaged in the cultural politics of memory.
About the speaker: TBA
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June 30, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Room 1217, Mosse Humanities Building
455 N. Park Street
(Click here for a map) |
Film:
The Waterfowl People
(1970, 50 minutes, Estonian) |
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About the film:The Waterfowl People is a documentary about the history
and linguistic ties of the Finno-Ugric and Samoyedic peoples. Speakers of the
Kamassian, Nenets, Khanty, Komi, Mari and Karelian languages were filmed
in their everyday settings in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The footage was
shot in Altai Krai, the Nenets Okrug, Khantia-Mansia, Uzbekistan, the Komi Republic,
Mari El, Karelia and Estonia. The Waterfowl People was the first internationally
significant documentary of its era that dealt with Finno-Ugric ethnology in the 20th century. |
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June 30, 2009 at 8:00 P.M.
Room 1217, Mosse Humanities Building
455 N. Park Street
(Click here for a map) |
Film:
The Winds of the Milky Way
(1977, 55 minutes, Estonian) |
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About the film:
The Winds of the Milky Way is the sequel to The Waterfowl People.
The author interprets the kinship, linguistic and cultural relationships of the Finno-Ugric
peoples. Finns, Vepsians, Votes, Setos, Erzya-Mordvinians, Mansi, Hungarians, Sami,
Nganasans and Estonians appear in the film. The film was shot in 1977 on location in
northern Finland, Sapmi, Vepsia, Votia, Mordovia, Khantia-Mansia,Hungary, the Taymyr
Peninsula, the Setomaa region of Estonia and on the Estonian islands of Saaremaa and Muhu.
Silver Medal at the 22nd New York International Film and TV festival in 1979. |
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July 7, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Room 1217, Mosse Humanities Building
455 N. Park Street
(Click here for a map) |
Lecture:
"What is Lithuania?" |
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 Alfred E. Senn
UW-Madison Professor Emeritus of History
About the lecture: Noted historian Al Senn will discuss issues of Lithuanian identity, politics, and culture.
About the speaker: Alfred Senn is Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received a PhD in East European History from Columbia University in 1958. Professor Senn is the author of eight books, including Lithuania Awakening (1990), several monographs, and numerous scholarly articles. One of his books, "Gorbachev's Failure in Lithuania," was awarded the Edgar Anderson Presidential Prize by the American Association of Baltic Studies in 1996.
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July 8, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
114 Van Hise Hall
1220 Linden Drive |
Film:
Kurpe
(1998, Latvian, 83 min.) |
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About the film: Famed documentarist Laila Pakalnina's first feature film, a Latvian, German and French collaboration. Set in Liepaja in the 1950's, Pakalnina's wry humor captures the tensions, paranoia, and ineptitude of the Soviet era. A search for a shoe that provides a modern take on the Cinderella story. Shot in black and white.
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July 14, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Room 1217, Mosse Humanities Building
455 N. Park Street
(Click here for a map) |
Film:
Balkonas (The Balcony)
(2008, Lithuanian, 48 min.) |
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About the film: Set in small-town Lithuania in the 1980's, Giedre Beinoriute's film provides a tender glimpse of everyday Soviet life of the time. After his parents' divorce, 11-year-old Rolanas moves to town with his father, to find his first romance with the girl-next-door.
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July 21, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Room 1217, Mosse Humanities Building
455 N. Park Street
(Click here for a map) |
Lecture:
"'A Poplar Stood by the Roadside:' A Sojourn With Baltic Myths, Songs, and Spirituality" |
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 Rudra Vilius Dundzila
Professor of Humanities and Comparative Religion, Harry S. Truman College, City Colleges of Chicago
About the lecture: The Baltic nations have become identified with the "Singing Revolution"
that led to their emancipation from the Soviet Union. Singing is a deep
and rich tradition in each of the Baltic countries. The origins are in folklore,
with organized revivals starting with 19th century Romanticism and subsequent
national awakening movements. Many of the songs record the pre-Christian
mythologies of the ancient Lithuanians, Latvians, Livonians, and Estonians.
They include spiritual sensibilities that reveal a pre-modern world-view about
the relationship between humans and nature.
About the speaker:
Professor Vilius Rudra Dundzila, Ph.D., D.Min. is Professor of
Humanities and Comparative Religion at Harry S. Truman College (City
Colleges of Chicago), Adjunct Faculty at Starr King School for Ministry
in Berkeley, CA, Adjunct Faculty for the Graduate School of Professional
Studies at Roosevelt University in Chicago, and Community Minister at
Second Unitarian Church in Chicago. He has written extensively on Baltic
Mythology and Folklore, including the following: “Baltic Lithuanian
Religion and Romuva.” Tyr: Myth, Culture, Tradition. 3 (2007); Michael
F. Strmiska and Vilius Rudra Dundzila. "Romuva: Lithuanian Paganism in
Lithuania and America." Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative
Perspectives. Ed. Michael F. Strmiska. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO
Publishers, 2005. 240-97; “Baltic Indigenous Religion.” Encyclopedia of
Religion and Nature. Ed. Jeffrey Kaplan and Bron Taylor. London:
Thoemmes Continuum, 2005. 155-58; and the forthcoming “Baltic Gods and
Goddesses.” Gods and Goddesses of the World: A Comprehensive
Encyclopedia. Ed. Shelley Rabinovitch. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO
Publishers. In his spare time, he likes to play with his dogs, ride his
bike, and practice yoga.
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July 23, 2009 from 6:00-8:00 P.M.
Student Activity Room, 4th Floor
333 East Campus Mall
(Click here for a map) |
Dance Demonstration:
Žaibas Lithuanian Dancers |
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About the Event:
Enjoy a master dance demonstration from Madison's Žaibas Lithuanian Dancers. This event will be hosted by the UW-Madison Russian Student Association. For more information and videos, check out the Žaibas website. |
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July 28, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Room 1217, Mosse Humanities Building
455 N. Park Street
(Click here for a map) |
Lecture:
"The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia" |
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 Paulis Lazda
UW-Eau Claire Professor of History
About the lecture: TBA
About the speaker: Dr. Lazda has a Ph.D. in history from UW-Madison. His specialities
are Russian and Eastern European history. He teaches in the history
department at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
In 1993, Dr. Lazda founded the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia,
which documents the experience of Soviet and Nazi rule in Latvia until
Latvian independence in 1991.
In 1999, Dr. Lazda, who was born in Latvia, was awarded an honorary
doctorate from the University of Latvia in recognition of his work setting
up a UW-Eau Claire semester study abroad program at the university.
In 2000, he was awarded the highest honor of his homeland,
Commander of the Order of Three Stars for his initiative in founding
the occupation museum.
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July 29, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
114 Van Hise Hall
1220 Linden Drive |
Film:
Kevade (Spring)
(1969, Estonian, 84 min.) |
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About the film:
A coming-of-age story set at a rural school at the end of the 19th century, based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Oskar Luts. Subtext of Estonian struggle for independence, truth and justice, a strong message to the Estonian audiences at the time of release. Directed by Arvo Kruusement.
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August 3, 2009, 7:00 P.M.
Room 1217, Mosse Humanities Building
455 N. Park Street
(Click here for a map) |
Film Shorts:
"The Best Waterpieces Ever" (2002-2007) |
About the screening event: An introduction and post-film discussion will be led by Karen Kinslow,
a current BALSSI student in Latvian. Karen is a Ph.D. student in the
department of geography at the University of Kentucky. The topic
of her dissertation is "Latvian Subject Formation and Baltic Identity
amidst Out-Migration and Current Geo-Political Agendas in the Region."
Descriptions of the film shorts:
Sandbox by Elina Lihaceva, Latvia, 2002
“Sandbox” is a video essay featuring poet Marts Pujats with music by Gonzo (Martins Strautnieks). The images create a sort of experimental game. This is one of the first video films that received an award at the ‘Udensgabali’ 2002 / Waterpieces video art festival.
Virtuoso Donkey by Peteris Lidaka, Latvia, 2003
This experimental film presents a story about a donkey who is susceptible to ideological persuasion. It all begins simply enough with the donkey's wish to celebrate his birthday.
Absolutely by Felikss Ziders and Ervins Broks, Latvia, 2004
This is the directors’ statement against traditional art establishments which, the directors believe, diminsh viewers’ ability to truly appreciate art.
Ministry Messiah by Gints Apsits, Latvia, 2005
This video is a self-reflection of the director. The combination of symbols and the mechanical rhythm of the music flow together drawing the spectator into the rich environment.
The Bone Dancer by Gints Apsits, Latvia, 2005
The director offers the viewer a serious opportunity for self contemplation by presenting the progression from the physical impulse through to giving birth to new life. At one stage the focus on pure anatomy gets dangerously close to didacticism. Ultimately, the director’s straightforward manner leads his viewers to aesthetical and ethical conclusions.
Dots by Kaspars Groševs, Latvia, 2006
Three visual stories transform into each other and develop their plots from each other. Here the director is clearly attempting to play with the senses of his audience.
Processor by Ola Vasiljeva, Latvia, 2006
This video becomes a rebus forcing the audience to follow exciting scenes where characters are permanently processed into new images and stories.
Right Now by Una Rozenbauma, Latvia, 2006
This is a moody and expressionistic piece that creates a variety of illusions of the elusive concept of time.
LA – LA by Ivars Gravlejs, Latvia, 2007
Imagine what would happen if all of your photographs suddenly came
to life and started behaving badly!
Vilma is Off Today by Anete Melece, Latvia, 2007
This colorful and witty animation depicts a short story about falling
in love in the 21st century.
Michael Jackson Five by Ola Vasiljeva, 2007
This is a thought-provoking flashback on Michael Jackson’s life.
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