March 2001

IRISH CZECH & SLOVAK SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

SOCIETY HOSTS GALA FILM OPENING - Musime Si Pomahat / Divided We Fall(2000)

On 8^th February a glittering array of the Society's most fashionable and film literate members gathered at the Arts Building in University College Dublin for the Irish opening of Musime Si Pomahat (Divided we fall). As the film?s director Jan Hrebejk had a previous engagement and did not attend, the film was ably introduced by the Society's own Tomas Kuchta.

Set during WWII, this movie examines the perils of loyalty facing a childless couple, Josef and Marie, who hide a jewish neighbor, David, in their pantry.Surrounded by Germans, partisans and collaborators, the couple must carefully find their way through a thicket of divided loyalties in extreme circumstances. Supported by a solid script, the performance of all the actors is excellent. The film will have everyone thinking about how far they would go to maintain their own principles when put to the test.

Shortly following its Dublin debut, Musime Si Pomahat received a nomination by the Academy for Best Foreign Film. Can any doubt that the Academy was moved by the success of the films Dublin opening? While the Society can not guarantee that Musime Si Pomahat will take the Oscar, we will continue to support Czech and Slovak artists and bring their work the international recognition it deserves.

The Society would like to give special thanks to member Vera Capkova for providing the venue for our films.

Bill Prasifka, Society film critic at large.

IRISH CZECH AND SLOVAK SOCIETY WEB PAGE LAUNCHED

Yes, finally the ICSS has entered the digital age by the launch of our new website. With the help of gallant friends with more technical knowledge than the editor, we can now bring news, events and the occasional exclusive to a much wider audience. This new medium will enable the society to gain greater critical mass, in turn allowing us to sponsor and promote more cultural events. Please visit the site as it will become the main contact point for society events.

Site address: http://www.ic-ss.org

Society News

Upcoming Events:

Building further on the success of our last film night. The IC&SS will be screening another film "Pelisky" (Cosy Dens) 1999, Directed by Jan Hrebejk (who also directed "Musime si pomahat" (Divided We Fall)).

A sweet but unsentimental observation of two nattering families living in an apartment in Prague in 1968, just before the Soviet invasion. While political and social tension get a look in (one man of the house is a Communist functionary, the other a stridently anti-socialist war vet), the warmth and wit of the film emanates from the appealing, awkwardly human characters and naturalistic performances. In the end, the characters are imbued with such humanity, you feel the gravity of the moment when everyone awakens to the Soviet invasion.

Film Venue: 7.30pm, 15 March 2001, in the Arts Building, Room B 204 at UCD.

Events of General Interest

Fort Sztuki or Fortress of Art

A display of the work of 22 Artists from Krakow, Poland is currently showing at the Temple Bar Gallery until 11th March.

Slovak News & Events Round-up

Parliament amends constitution Parliament passed the long-awaited amendment to the constitution after a marathon debate which ran for almost three weeks. The government says the reforms were required by the European Union and NATO as preconditions to membership. It pressed ahead with the amendment despite angry resistance from the opposition

European Charter on Regional and Minority Langauges signed Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan signed the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages at a ceremony in Strasbourg on Tuesday 20 February.

The German Culture Institute presents the works of German graphic artist Albrecht Dürer. Mirbachov Palace on Frantiskánske námestie, Bratislava. Until 18 March

The Goethe Institute in Bratislava will open an exhibition of German architect Hans Michael Foldeak entitled Projekt fur Pressburg (Project for Bratislava) - Pribinova Street 2002-2010. Gallery of Spolok architektov Slovenska (Union of Slovak Architects) Panská 15. Until March 24.

The photo exhibition The Most Beautiful Day of My Youth is a selection of snapshots taken by 2,000 young people from 20 different countries with disposable cameras on the Youth Holiday organised by Bernard Faucon. Until March 6 at the French Institute Gallery on Sedlárska 7

A photo exhibition entitled Vergessener Völker Müdigkeiten (Tiredness of Forgotten Nations) features photographs of Jewish cemeteries taken by Austrian artists Christoph Lingg and Susanne Schaber. Múzeum Zidovskej kultúry (Museum of Jewish Culture) until March 10.

Czech News & Events Roundup

Czech census begins Thousands of census officials, most of them students and pensioners, began this week to distribute forms to households throughout the country. The forms will be gathered on 1 March.

An outstanding exhibition called Ten Centuries of Architecture (in connection with the Czech TV series bearing the same title) is taking place at the Prague Castle from 5 April until the end of October 2001.

From Edgar Degas to Gerhard Richter (Famous drawings from the print collection of the Kunstmuseum Winterthur, Switzerland). Kinsky Palace (Palac Kinskych) Prague 1, Staromestske nam. 12, Until March 25.

Czech Museum of Fine Arts in Prague: Hana Wichterlova (1903-1990) Selected works. This artist is one of the most important modern Czech sculptors, mainly during the period between World War I and II. Prague 1, Husova 19 - 21, Until April 15.

E-Mail Request

As the Society moves rapidly into the e-Commerce world, we would like to speed up the information process via electronic distribution of this newsletter. Therefore would all members who are on line please forward e-mail details to: mark.griffin@anpost.ie