I recently had the pleasure of travelling to Moscow at the invitation of the Moscow International Film Festival for screenings of Memory is Our Homeland on April 22nd & 23rd, 2019. As a biennial festival created by the Soviet Union in 1935, and held annually since 1995, it’s one of the oldest film festivals in the world, managing to carry on throughout various regime changes and political shifts. I was curious to see how the film would be received in Russia — while not overly political, the documentary does address the Soviet role in deporting my family to Siberia during WW II.
While some reactions were initially critical, defending the Soviets’ allied role in ending the war, others were more sympathetic to the personal, human aspects of the film. I was touched by the many people who I spoke with after the screenings who shared similar stories of displacement or losing members of their family in the gulag.
Generally, there seemed to be an interest in my ability as a foreigner to tell stories about a history that is still difficult to fully address in contemporary Russia. The entire experience felt quite validating — I was pleased to connect not only with audiences, but with members of the broader cultural community in Moscow and look forward to returning for possible future collaborations and screenings. Here are some snapshots of the festival and my time in Moscow.
