Advocating, settling accounts or kitschification? Ukrainian immigrants on and off the Polish screen

The Mellon Sawyer Seminar Series on Language Discrimination in Fragile Communities and the FOCUS Program are pleased to present:

Advocating, settling accounts or kitschification?
Ukrainian immigrants on and off the Polish screen

Featuring:
Paulina Duda, Ph.D. (Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Slavic Studies, Brown University)

While the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 directed more global attention to the region, Ukraine and its people have been a focal interest in Poland for centuries. Considering the long history between both nations - a history where support and solidarity intertwine with discriminatory practices and bloodshed - it comes as no surprise that Polish filmmakers used cinema as the platform to comment on the subject of contested historical events as well as the recent influx of Ukrainians to Poland.

This talk will explore the ways in which contemporary Polish cinema reconfigures and shapes the image of Ukrainian immigrants as well as their offscreen participation in the creative film industry in Poland. One overarching question will guide our conversation: how does the fact that Poles historically consider themselves as diasporic, due to frequent waves of forced economic and political migration, impact contemporary cinematic portrayal of Ukrainian immigrants?

It will take place on Thursday, November 3rd at 6:00 pm in 217 Perkins Library. Refreshments provided.

Please invite your colleagues and students. We look forward to seeing you there!