Reviews of ‘The Legacy of Jedwabne’
"...the larger message that this film conveys is the perennial need to remain vigilant against ethnic and religious intolerance. A sobering, often unsettling piece of work, this is recommended."
*** Video Librarian Magazine, June 2006
"Emmy-winning director Slawomir Grunberg’s documentary, which screened to sellout crowds at Makor in December 2005 highlights this tragic event and its contemporary resonance."
Makor/Steinhardt Center of the 92nd Street Y, New York City, April 2006
Aviva Kemper, Film Director (The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg, Partisans from Vilnius)
"Slawek did a very good job with a difficult topic, and I am not surprised that the screening stimulated a good discussion."
Jan Gross, Author (Neighbors, Fear)
“… I found it riveting. The array of people interviewed provides a complex portrait, not only of Jedwabne, but of universal themes like altruism, divided loyalty, and faith. I was particularly touched by the survivors currently in Argentina.”
Annette Insdorf, Renowned Film Scholar, Columbia University, NYC
“…remarkable film - incredibly emotional and an important testament to the history of the Polish Jews (and non Jews.) I found the mayor of Jedwabne to be particularly insightful, showing that it is indeed possible to change one's preconceptions.”
David Regos, Producer, Australia 2006
“That the Jedwabne story has resonated so widely highlights how intensely alive the past remains today…this story complicates our understanding of the Holocaust, forcing us to grapple with elements stemming from spontaneous and local forms of ethic tensions and violence, rather then from the Nazi hierarchy.”
Cortland Standard, November 2005
Gazeta Wyborcza Daily, Poland, Maja 2005
“A gloomy experience while working on this documentary was a discovery that my film characters are to this day live in fear. Antosia, who saved seven Jews, is afraid to talk in front of her house, a former mayor of Jedwabne hides his identity in Chicago…”
KINO, Monthly Magazine, Poland, August 2005
“Film by Slawomir Grunberg encourage for a dialogue about an influence of the historic truth on Polish-Jewish relationship.”
Polish Television Kultura, May 2005
Viewer’s comments:
"...The world badly needs such truth-telling..."
"... I am thankful there are people in your film who are willing to live with ugly truths rather than beautiful lies...."
" You have created a program that really captures the universal human dilemma of complex stories like these..."
“…you made to focus on the “people” connected to the story, rather than the academic and political debates surrounding it….”
“…opens the door to conversations, like the ones people had after your screening — and hopefully to a better understanding of each other..."
WOW! I just watched The Legacy of Jedwabne on LinkTV through my local PBS affiliate (KRCB in Rohnert Park, CA). I was amazed, touched, and really moved by the story itself and the way it was told in the film. This is the second of your documentaries that I have seen. The first was Borderline: The People v. Eunice Baker, which I first saw while I was staying in Hawaii (Oahu) this winter, and which I watched from the beginning (I didn't get to see the whole film the first time) again just recently, again, via LinkTV/KRCB. When I was watching the credits roll at the end of Legacy, I saw your name and knew I had seen it somewhere before - it is a rather distinctive name - and when I came to your web site just now, I realized that you had done Borderline, which was also great. Thank you for creating such honest and thought-provoking documentaries. I only wish that films like yours were seen by more people, and at hours when more people could see them. I hope you will continue to produce engrossing documentaries. I look forward to seeing some of the other films that you have listed on the LogTV web site. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed watching your films, and to give you an "atta boy" for your fine work. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Margaret, Guerneville, California
I would like to thank all those responsible for this film. I watched this today and it was fantastic. We need so much more of this on the airways.
Coming from Native American/Jewish family I am no stranger to the stories of genocide. I am made up of everything wicked people have always wanted to destroy. But We are still here. We Live. Keeping our traditions and culture alive through all we have endured. And still go through today.
When I finally see films like this one, I remain hopeful that in my lifetime more and more people around the world will be made aware of the genocide that has and still occurs in our world. And maybe one mind can be cleansed of the hatred, ignorance and injustices that we face daily. This again was a fantastic film and I am not too big on writing things like this. So that is huge for me to be sending this..
Wado(thank you/cherokee) to all involved.
I was moved to tears. Amazing work!!
Cheryl Wo-Di, Felicity, Ohio U.S.A.