Scandinavian premiere:
Rachel At The Gdansk Railway Station
In March 1968 the Polish communist government initiated and organized mass emigrations for thousands of citizens of Jewish origin. To this day these actions and their consequences lie at the root of severely strained Polish-Jewish relations.
In Rachel at the Gdansk Railway Station we get to meet some of those who were forced out of Poland – who ultimately ended up in Sweden. These young people had to leave their families, friends, universities, and workplaces.
We hear stories of the older generation’s despair, and the younger generation’s wrath, when Jewish persecution reared its head again only twenty years after the end of the Second World War. Moving images reinforce the memories. Being forced to leave their country has created an inner division in our story-tellers. Poland’s communist regime is gone, but the scars and memories remain.
Ewa Szprynger’s film tells the story of the 1968 revolution in a manner seldom seen. We reflect on how the grim realties of the past have formed our present. Through an outsider’s perspective on the Polish and Swedish societies we reflect on trends and new developments. The film received excellent reviews in the Polish media and was recently shown in Israel and other countries.
