Lithuania

Lithuania
Sept 20 - 27, 2009
Filmmaker: Allen Mondell, A Fair to Remember
Expert: Bill Murphy

Delegate Report

by Bill Murphy

Overall, American Documentary Showcase events were carried out as planned, with one exception, when our meeting with members of the Lithuanian Union of Filmmakers was cancelled at the last minute. Nevertheless, it is gratifying to report that all screenings were very well attended.

Vilnius & Kaunas

The first screening of A Fair to Remember in the newly opened Pasaka Theater, which contains only 85 seats in its largest room, had an overflow of people sitting on the floor in front of the screen and in the aisles. The reception that followed, needless to say, was also very well attended. Dr. William James, Embassy Public Affairs Officer; Allen Mondell, the documentary’s director/producer; and I welcomed the attendees and spoke about the series’ origin and content as well as its value for understanding some of the problems and issues facing contemporary American society.

Allen’s documentary was subsequently shown again at the Pasaka, the University of Vilnius, and Vytautus Magnus University, located in Kaunus, the country’s second largest city. Allen and I participated in discussions with students after each screening. Most questions, understandably, were directed at his film, rarely touching upon broader social or political implications. We noted a recurring question from the student-age audiences: Why didn’t the documentary express attitudes of people their own age toward the Texas State Fair? Presumably, comments and opinions of those over 30 really did not seem to matter, at least in this context.

Bill Murphy with Jūratė Butkutė and Jurga Zelvarien, our American Embassy guides in Vilnius

As a measure of the Embassy’s effective publicity work, the simultaneous screenings at the Pasaka Theater experienced large attendance to such an extent that the theatre box office decided to issue tickets in advance, although admission remained free of charge. The Pasaka used two screening rooms, 85 and 30 seats, respectively. In response to the crowds, the Embassy agreed to extend screenings in Vilnius for an extra week in October and through the end of the month in the Kaunus. At the current rate, several thousand viewers will have seen 13 titles selected from the Showcase (including repeat viewers).

As part of the publicity efforts, the Embassy also encouraged broadcast media coverage. Staff from the major evening news television program, Panorama, briefly interviewed Allen and me on camera in the Pasaka Theatre. Next, Ginas Dabasinskas, host and commentator of the news radio program Zinus Radijas: Prie Pietu Stalo (News Radio: At a Lunch Table) interviewed us in the radio studio for about one hour, including intervening translations. The interview was recorded for delayed broadcast. Much of our discussion aimed at rebutting a provocative observation, reportedly opined by a Finnish director, that the American documentary genre has died due to CNN and other cable television programs.

At the Embassy, Dr. James warmly greeted us on two occasions and expressed his appreciation and interest in the Showcase project, at the same time providing us with several helpful insights into the Lithuanian people and culture. We, however, did not have an opportunity to meet with the Chargé d'Affaire, nor with the current Ambassador, who has not yet taken up her new position in Vilnius.

A poster tacked up around Vilnius, Lithuania, to announce the American Documentary Showcase

The two Embassy Public Affairs officials most responsible for planning and carrying out the Showcase project were Jurate Butkute, Cultural Affairs Specialist, and Jurga Zelvariene, Outreach Coordinator. They carefully planned events and screening schedules, arranged for our hotel and transportation, acted as interpreters as necessary, and resolved any difficulties. Arturas Jevdokimovas, a local film impresario under contract to the Embassy, was also extremely helpful with advice and introductions. Their advance work and professionalism made all the difference.

In view of our own professional backgrounds in archives and film production, Jurate and Jurga arranged for visits to key cultural institutions in Vilnius. The first occurred at the Central State Archive. After exchanging greetings with the Director Dalius Zizys, audio-visual archivists led us on an extended tour of their facilities and holdings, and demonstrated several ongoing preservation and digitization projects.

Second, we visited the new National Gallery of Art, where the audio-visual programming curator, Zilvile Eteviciute, led us on an extensive tour. As it happened, our visit coincided with preparations of a new exhibit, “Cold War Modern: Design l945-1970.” Naturally, she expressed great interest in having access to a copy of one of the Showcase documentaries, Sputnik Mania, which ties in nicely with the exhibit’s theme. Among the articles on display is a scale model of the original Sputnik. She also expressed an interest in learning more about the availability of American documentaries on art and art history, for example, Painters Painting, about American abstract expressionism, formerly distributed to American embassies by the now defunct USIS.

Allen Mondell addresses the Lithuanians who attended a reception following a showing of "A Fair to Remember"

Third, we visited the National Museum of Art, Music and Cinema, where the engaging director, Regina Lopiene, a former actress, led a tour of galleries, including a digital display of the museum’s exquisite Lithuanian movie poster collection. Finally, we met with Ieva Sadzeviciene, Head of the Tolerance Center, Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum, and toured its exhibits of Litvak artworks, as well as an exhibit hall which displayed photographs and told stories of Jewish children hidden by Lithuanian families during the indescribably brutal German wartime occupation, which caused the death of almost all the Jewish population.

Thanks to the Embassy’s effective planning, programs went smoothly and, with days and evenings more or less filled, the week passed rather quickly. Perhaps some of my time could have been used more effectively if I had participated in the other screenings that were taking place while Allen presented his documentary. In other words, at times it did not seem necessary for both of us to be present in the same venue since we were both equally capable of fielding questions as individual professionals. Aside from this minor comment, I can only express my sincere appreciation for having an opportunity to participate in the Showcase and enjoy such a pleasant introduction to Lithuania and its warm and friendly people.

ALLEN MONDELL TAKES TEXAS OVERSEAS

Filmmaker Allen Mondell blogs about the Lithuania Delegation
--courtesy of KERA Art&Seek Blog

Guest Blogger Allen Mondell directed the documentary A Fair to Remember with his wife, Cynthia Salzman Mondell. Allen is currently touring the film in Lithuania as part of the American Documentary Showcase sponsored by the State Department. He will be blogging for Art&Seek about his experiences; here is his first report from the road.

Allen Mondell Takes Texas Overseas: Part I

Filmmaker Allen Mondell with students following the Q&A and screening of "A Fair to Remember"

VILNIUS, Lithuania — On one side of the Neris River are glass skyscrapers, rush hour traffic, wide boulevards and electric-powered trolleybuses. On the other side, there are the reminders of a 14th century town with narrow curved streets lined with shops and restaurants and walls both freshly painted and in states of disrepair. Baroque and Gothic churches line what seem like every block, and intimate courtyards once enjoyed by feudal landlords are now populated by students smoking and chattering between classes. [read more]

Allen Mondell Takes Texas Overseas: Part 2

I’ll get right to the commercial side of this blog. No one approached me about a corny dog franchise, but the little guy in the film stuffing himself with 18 dogs in 10 minutes and winning the contest brought some laughter. And a packed Vilnius theater practically rolled in the isles during the pig races. Pork is a very popular item on the Lithuanian menu, so, while most of their experience are on a plate, they loved seeing the pigs streak around the State Fair track. [read more]

Allen Mondell Takes Texas Overseas: Pt. 3

We had another screening at the same theater where we were last night. This time, however, the film was shown in a room set up for a small audience and discussion. They were not prepared for the overflow crowd of students and others who wanted to see the film. The American Embassy and Lithuanian organizer asked about changing to the larger theater, but it was in use. This meant that some people had to be turned away. [read more]

Allen Mondell Takes Texas Overseas: Pt. 4

I’m writing this the night before the Great State Fair of Texas 2009 begins in Dallas. One of the introductory comments I make to the audience watching A Fair to Remember is that during the three weeks of the Fair as many people will pass though its gates as live in Lithuania – 3 million. It usually gets some laughs and a few smiles. My day began with an experience that had nothing to do with candy apples or North America’s tallest Ferris Wheel – a visit to the Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum. [read more]

Allen Mondell Takes Texas Overseas: Pt. 5

As the baseball season winds down for the Texas Rangers, I was thrown a couple curveballs today. The first one came during an interview at an all-news radio station in a rather austere 10-story building far from the charm of the Old Town of Vilnius but still part of the city. [read more]

Allen Mondell Takes Texas Overseas: Pt. 6

The Fair started this past weekend without my attendance, but I consider myself its goodwill ambassador here in Lithuania. I don’t think, however, that flights from Vilnius to Dallas will be overcrowded during the next three weeks, even though I’ve convinced hundreds that the Great State Fair of Texas is superior to World Cup Soccer, Big Ben and wienerschnitzel. I did try to encourage the American Embassy to charter a plane and bring the converts to Fair Park. They diplomatically (pun intended) explained that while they thought it was a splendid idea, budgetary restraints precluded any such gesture. [read more]