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Home , A Question of Silence, Emily Watson, The Hours and Times, The Luzhin Defence, Vasily Aksyonov

April 23, 2013 (XXVI:14) , WITHIN THE WHIRLWIND (2009, 90 min.)

Directed by Marleen Gorris Screenplay by Nancy Larson Based on the autobiography by Eugenia Ginzburg Produced by Christine Ruppert Original Music by Wlodzimierz Pawlik Cinematography by Arkadiusz Tomiak

Emily Watson…Evgenia Ginzburg Pam Ferris…Genia's mother …Beylin Ben Miller…Krasny Ulrich Tukur…Dr. Anton Walter Benjamin Sadler…Pavel Monica Dolan…Pitkowskaya Agata Buzek…Lena Nick Dong-Sik…Confucius Pierre Shrady…Pitkowski

MARLEEN GORRIS (December 9, 1948, Roermond, Limburg, Netherlands) has 12 directing credits: 2011 “Rembrandt en ik”, ARKADIUSZ TOMIAK (February 20, 1969, Koszalin, 2009 Within the Whirlwind, 2007 “The L Word”, 2003/I Carolina, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland) has been cinematographer on 29 2000 , 1997 Mrs Dalloway, 1995 Antonia's films, among them 2013 Sep, 2012 Vocuus (short), 2012 Line, 1993 “Verhalen van de straat”, 1990 The Last Island, 1984 Dziewczyna z szafy, 2012 Oblawa, 2011 Daas, 2011 Gebroken spiegels, 1983 “De geest van gras”, and 1982 A Hanyut/Almayer's Folly, 2010 Cudowne lato, 2010 Mystification, Question of Silence. 2010 Kolysanka, 2009 Within the Whirlwind, 2009 Zero, 2009 Case Unknown, 2008 Expecting Love, 2007 Jasne blekitne okna, NANCY LARSON has three screenplay credits: 2009 Within the 2006 Hyena, 2006 Statysci, 2006 Palimpsest, 2005 Your Name Is Whirlwind, 1988 The Wizard of Loneliness, and 1978 Coach. Justine, 2004 “Stacyjka”, 2003 Zróbmy sobie wnuka, 2003 Zurek, 2003 Symmetry, 2003 “Na Wspólnej”, 2002 Kariera Nikosia CHRISTINE RUPPERT has produced 28 films, among them 2013 Dyzmy, 2001 Silence, 2001 “Siedem dalekich rejsów”, 2000 Keep Paradise: Hope, 2012 Paradise: Faith, 2012 Paradise: Love, 2009 Away from the Window, 2000 “Wielkie rzeczy: Siec”, and 1998 Happy Ever Afters, 2009 Within the Whirlwind, 2009 Kill Daddy Przystan. Good Night, 2009 Mediator, 2006 The Last of Scotland, 2004 “Zeit nach der Trauer”, 2001 100 Pro, 1999 My Best Fiend - Klaus …Evgenia Ginzburg (b. Emily Anita Watson, Kinski, and 1996 “The Writing on the Wall.” January 14, 1967, Islington, , England) has 40 acting credits, some of which are 2013 Molly Moon: The Incredible WLODZIMIERZ PAWLIK (October 4, 1958, Kielce, Swietokrzyskie, Hypnotist (post-production), 2013/I Belle (post-production), 2013 Poland) did the scores for seven films: 2012 Inny swiat, 2010 “The Politician's Husband” (post-production), 2013 Little Boy Mystification, 2009 The Reverse, 2009 Within the Whirlwind, 2007 (post-production), 2013 Some Girl(s), 2012 Anna Karenina, 2011 Time to Die, 2007 Nightwatching, and 1994 Wrony. War Horse, 2011 “Appropriate Adult”, 2010 , 2010 Cemetery Junction, 2009 Within the Whirlwind,

Gorris—WHiRLWIND—2

2009 Cold Souls, 2008 Synecdoche, New York, 2008 “The Memory of which are 2013 Morocco (post-production), 2013 Houston, 2012 Keeper's Daughter”, 2008 Fireflies in the Garden, 2007 The Water “Rommel”, 1996-2011 “Tatort” (6 episodes), 2011 When Pigs Horse, 2006 , 2006 Crusade in Jeans, 2005 Separate Have Wings, 2011 The Burma Conspiracy, 2009 Within the Lies, 2005 The Proposition, 2005 Corpse Bride, 2005 Wah-Wah, Whirlwind, 2009 The White Ribbon, 2009 Kill Daddy Good Night, 2004 The Life and Death of , 2004 Boo, Zino & the 2008 North Face, 2007 Hand of the Headless Man, 2006 The Lives Snurks, 2003 Blossoms & Blood (video short), 2002 Equilibrium, of Others, 2005 “The Airlift”, 2004 “Operation Valkyrie”, 2004 2002 Red Dragon, 2002 Punch-Drunk Love, 2001 , “Die Dreigroschenoper”, 2002 Solaris, 2001 Taking Sides, 2000 2000 The Luzhin Defence, 2000 Trixie, 1999 Angela's Ashes, 1999 Hunters in the Snow, 2000 Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace, 1997 , 1998 , 1997 The Boxer, 1997 “Einmal Casanova sein”, 1997 “Ein Vater sieht rot”, 1996 Charms Metroland, 1997 “The Mill on the Floss”, 1996 Breaking the Zwischenfälle, 1995 “Der Mörder und sein Kind”, 1995 Tears of Waves, and 1994 “A Summer Day's Dream.” Stone, 1994 Rotwang muß weg!, 1993 “Maus und Katz”, 1993 “Wehner - Die unerzählte Geschichte”, 1993 “Das letzte U-Boot”, PAM FERRIS…Genia's mother (May 11, 1948, Hannover, Lower 1991 “Lulu”, 1984 Die Story, and 1982 The White Rose. Saxony, Germany) has 67 acting credits, some of which are 2012- 2013 “Call the Midwife” (15 episodes), 2012/I The Raven, 2011 BENJAMIN SADLER…Pavel (February 12, 1971, Toronto, Canada) “Luther”, 2010 Jackboots on Whitehall, 2009 Nativity!, 2009 has 70 acting credits, among them 2013 Himmelfahrt - Der Tote Malice in Wonderland, 2009 Within the Whirlwind, 2008 “Little auf dem Eis, 1996-2012 “Tatort”, 2012 The Pursuit of Dorrit” (6 episodes), 2008 The Other Man, 2006 “Jane Eyre”, 2006 Unhappiness, 2012 “Rommel”, 2012 The German Friend, 2012 Children of Men, 2003-2006 “Rosemary & Thyme” (22 episodes), Passion, 2011 If Not Us, Who?, 2010 “Paura d'amare” (6 2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 2002 “Paradise episodes), 2009 Within the Whirlwind, 2009 “Impact”, 2007 “War Heights” (6 episodes), 1997-2000 “Where the Heart Is” (37 and Peace”, 2007 “Caravaggio”, 2006 “Dresden”, 2003 episodes), 1994 “The Rector's Wife”, 1994 “Middlemarch”, 1991- “Imperium: Augustus”, 2003 “A Light in Dark Places”, 2003 1993 “The Darling Buds of May” (20 episodes), 1992 “Cluedo” (6 Luther, 2002 “The Apocalypse”, 2000 “Secret of Tatooed episodes), 1985 “Connie” (13 episodes), and 1984 “Meantime.” Mummy”, 1999 “Mordkommission”, 1998 “The Sands of Time”, 1998 Rosenzweig's Freedom, 1996-1997 “Freundschaft mit Herz” IAN HART…Beylin (October 8, 1964, Liverpool, Merseyside, (21 episodes), 1994 “Drei zum Verlieben”, and 1994 “Alle lieben England) has 82 acting credits, some of which are 2013 “Rogue”, Julia.” 2013 “My Mad Fat Diary” (6 episodes), 2013 “Bates Motel”, 2011-2012 “Luck” (9 episodes), 2009 Within the Whirlwind, 2009 “Father & Son”, 2007-2008 “Dirt” (20 episodes), 2005 Ripley Yevgenia Under Ground, 2005 Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, Solomonovna Ginzburg 2004 Finding Neverland, 2004 Every Seven Years (short), 2003 (December 20, 1904 – “Eroica”, 2003 Cheeky, 2001 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's May 25, 1977) (Russian: Stone, 1999 The End of the Affair, 1999 Wonderland, 1998 Enemy Евге́ния Соломо́новна of the State, 1997 Robinson Crusoe, 1996 Michael Collins, 1995 Ги́нзбург) was a Russian Nothing Personal, 1995 Clockwork Mice, 1995 The Englishman author who served an 18- Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, 1995 Land and year sentence in the Freedom, 1994 Backbeat, and 1991 The Hours and Times. . Her given name is often Latinized to BEN MILLER… Krasny (b. Bennet Evan Miller, February 24, Eugenia. 1966, London, England) has 52 acting credits, among them 2013 Born in , “Molly Moon: The Incredible Hypnotist” (post-production), 2011- her parents were Solomon 2013 “Death in Paradise” (16 episodes), 2011 The Engagement, Natanovich Ginzburg (a 2007-2011 “Primeval” (36 episodes), 2007-2010 “The Armstrong Jewish pharmacist) and and Miller Show” (19 episodes), 2010 4.3.2.1, 2009 Within the Revekka Markovna Whirlwind, 2008-2009 “Moving Wallpaper” (18 episodes), 2009 Ginzburg. The family “Comic Relief 2009”, 2008 “Moving Wallpaper: The Mole”, 2004- moved to in 1909. 2006 “The Worst Week of My Life” (17 episodes), 2006 In 1920, she began to study social sciences at Kazan State “Popetown” (10 episodes), 2004 “Agatha Christie Marple: The University, later switching to pedagogy. She worked as a rabfak Body in the Library”, 2003 The Actors, 2003 Johnny English, 2002 (рабфак, рабочий факультет, workers' faculty) teacher. In April “Surrealissimo: The Scandalous Success of Salvador Dali”, 2001 1934, Ginzburg was officially confirmed as a docent Birthday Girl, 1997-2001 “Armstrong and Miller” (27 episodes), (approximately equivalent to an associate professor in western 1999 “Passion Killers”, 1999 “Hunting Venus”, 1993 “Paul universities), specializing in the history of the All-Union Merton: The Series” (6 episodes), 1993 “The Young Indiana Jones Communist Party. Shortly thereafter, on May 25, she was named Chronicles”, and 1991 “Murder Most Horrid.” head of the newly created department of the history of Leninism. However, by the fall of 1935, she was forced to quit the university. ULRICH TUKUR…Dr. Anton Walter (b. Ulrich Scheurlen, July She first married a doctor Dmitriy Fedorov, by whom she 29, 1957, Viernheim, Hesse, Germany) had 90 acting credits, some had a son, Alexei Fedorov, born in 1926. He died in 1941 during Gorris—WHiRLWIND—3

the siege of Leningrad. Around 1930, she married Pavel loyal Communist of the old stamp, not the kind who had to have a Aksyonov, the mayor (председатель горсовета) of Kazan and a Buick or a Mercedes... Ten years!... Do you [the judges], with your member of the Central Executive Committee (ЦИК) of the USSR. codfish faces, really think you can go on robbing and murdering Her son by this marriage, Vasily Aksyonov, born in 1932, became for another ten years, that there aren't people in the Party who will a well-known writer. After becoming a Communist Party member, stop you sooner or later? I knew there were – and in order to see Ginzburg continued her successful career as educator, journalist that day, I must live. In prison, if needs be, but I must at all costs and administrator. live!... I looked at the guards, whose hands were still clasped Following the assassination of Sergei Mironovich Kirov behind my back. Every nerve in my body was quivering with the on December 1, 1934, Ginzburg, like many communists (see the joy of being alive. What nice faces the guards had! Peasant boys Great Purge), was accused of participating in a "counter- from Ryazan or Kursk, most likely. They couldn't help being revolutionary Trotskyist group," this one led by Professor N. N. warders – no doubt they were conscripts. And they had joined El'vov and concentrated in the editorial board of the newspaper hands to save me from falling. But they needn't have – I wasn't Krasnaya Tatariia (Red Tataria) going to fall. I shook back my where she was employed. After a hair curled so carefully before long fight to keep her party card, facing the court, so as not to she was expelled from the party, disgrace the memory of officially excluded on February 8, Charlotte Corday. Then I gave 1937. Then, on February 15, the guards a friendly smile. 1937, she was arrested, accused They looked at me in of engaging in counter- astonishment.” revolutionary activity in El'vov's Yevgenia experienced group and concealing this at first hand the infamous activity. Because she was a party Lefortovo and Butyrka prisons member throughout this alleged in Moscow, and the Yaroslavl activity, she was also accused of "Korovniki". She crossed the "playing a double game." From USSR on a prison train to the day of her arrest, and unlike Vladivostok and was put in the most of those around her, she cargo hold of the steamer Jurma forcefully denied the NKVD's (Джурма) whose destination accusations and never accepted any role in the supposed "counter- was Magadan. There she worked at a camp hospital, but was soon revolutionary Trotskyist organization."As recorded in her initial sent to the harsh camps of the valley, where she was interrogation, when asked whether she recognized her guilt, she assigned to so-called "common jobs" and quickly became an responded "I do not acknowledge it. I have not engaged in any emaciated dokhodyaga ("goner"). A Crimean German doctor, Trotskyist struggle with the party. I have not been a member of a Anton Walter, probably saved her life by recommending her for a counter-revolutionary Trotskyist organization." Her parents nursing position; they eventually married. Anton had been were also arrested but released two months later. Her husband was deported because of his German heritage. arrested in July, sentenced to 15 years of "corrective labor," and In February 1949, Ginzburg was released from the Gulag system, his property confiscated under Articles 58-7 and 11 of the RSFSR but had to remain in Magadan for five years. She found a position Penal Code. at a kindergarten and began to write her memoirs in secret. On August 1, 1937, although Ginzburg still did not However, in October 1949, she was arrested again and exiled to recognize her supposed guilt (despite the NKVD's repeated, the Krasnoyarsk region, but (at her request) her destination was ruthless interrogations), a closed meeting of the Military College of changed to Kolyma at the last minute. No reason was ever given the Supreme Court of the USSR (in Moscow) sentenced her to 10 for this second arrest and exile. years imprisonment with deprivation of political rights for five After Joseph Stalin's death in 1953 and following years and confiscation of all her personal property. The judgement Ginzburg's repeated, vigorous appeals to various authorities to was declared to be final with no possibility of appeal. Ginzburg have her case reconsidered, she was released from the exile (on 25 later wrote, in a letter to the chairman of the Presidium of the June 1955) and allowed to return to Moscow. She was rehabilitated USSR's Supreme Soviet, that her entire "trial" took seven minutes, in 1955. including the questioning and reading of the judgement: "My She returned to Moscow, worked as a reporter and continued her judges were in such a hurry that they did not answer any of my work on her magnum opus, her memoir Journey into the questions and declarations." Interestingly, in one of the most Whirlwind (English title). She finished the book in 1967 but was revealing chapters of her autobiography, Ginzburg expressed great unable to publish it in the USSR. The manuscript was then relief upon hearing the verdict, because she had feared up to that smuggled abroad and published in 1967 by Mondadori in Milan very moment that she would be condemned to death: and Possev in Frankfurt am Main; it has since been translated into “To live! Without property, but what was that to me? Let them many languages. Eventually, her memoir was divided into two confiscate it – they were brigands anyway, confiscating was their parts, whose Russian titles are "Krutoi marshrut I" and "Krutoi business. They wouldn't get much good out of mine, a few books marshrut II" -- "Harsh Route" or "Steep Route." She died in and clothes – why, didn't even have a radio. My husband was a Moscow, aged 72. Gorris—WHiRLWIND—4

the open and people started talking about it and historians went into the subject. None of all that happened in Russia. And then of course it was a personal story of a woman who had written very extensively with great memory about what she went through. Also, my admiration for this woman. Where does one get the power to survive something like this? And all these elements I thought were fascinating to make a film of.

W&H: Did you first think of Emily? You had worked with her before.

MG: I can’t remember when I thought of Emily. This film was very long in the making — the financing was difficult. First we had a French producer and then that went wrong. We ended up with a lovely German producer. And two countries, Poland and Belgium supplied some of the money. But it took forever.

Melissa Silverstein: Interview with Marleen Gorris and Nancy W&H: When did you write the script? Larson – director and writer of Within the Whirlwind (February 4, 2010) NL: I don’t even remember. Must have been seven years ago. Of Dutch director Marleen Gorris is one of the most feminist directors course, it was an ongoing process throughout the seven years. around. She has actually won an academy award for one of the most feminist films I have ever seen,Antonia’s Line, which won W&H: Do you feel that it was the subject matter that made it so the best foreign language film Oscar in 1995. Her other films difficult to finance? Is it that it was a woman’s story? Is it a story include , Mrs. Dalloway and The Luzhin about a time period that people would happily say bye-bye to and Defence. not pay attention to again? Her new film tells the true story of Evgenia Ginzburg (Emily Watson) who was sentenced to 10 years hard labor in MG: People say this is a bio-pic. No bio-pics. This is a political Siberia during Stalin’s reign in the . Watson is her film. No political films. They always came up with some excuse. usual wonderful self in this intense story about a woman who believed she was a solid and stalwart party member, who wound NL: There’s always a reason not to make a film. up in a whirlwind of accusations with no power. But while the gulag is extraordinarily depressing, the film is a story of hope as W&H: Do you have distribution here in the US? Are you looking Evgenia is able to find love with the camp’s doctor (played by for it? What are your thoughts for the next level for this film here Ulrich Tukur) under these most difficult circumstances. in this country and elsewhere. Has it premiered elsewhere? Women & Hollywood was able to ask some questions of director Marleen Gorris and writer Nancy Larson when their film was MG: It has been shown elsewhere. screened at the recent NY Jewish Film Festival. NL: In fact it’s been a work in progress. Between festival to Women &Hollywood: Nancy, tell us how the story began. festival there have been adjustments.

Nancy Larson: I had developed a film with another producer and MG: One thing that didn’t really works in our favor is the world the producer wanted to work with me again. And he asked me crisis. Last year was abysmal. Half of the American distributors what book I would like to do. And I had read this book and I said went broke and out of business. In Europe it’s not much better. We this is the one I would like to do. are looking for an American distributor. It’s not exactly a barrel of laughs. It’s either the big blockbusters that people go to or W&H: So they hired you to write the script? comedies, especially in bad times. But I presume that’s part of the NL: I came in more like a writer/producer in a way. I just wrote the difficulty for a lot of independent films to find distributors. script and the first person we thought of was Marleen. W&H: Most of your films have had a strong feminist themes. Has that been deliberate on your part? W&H: Marleen, what made you interested in the film? MG: I guess you could say so. I never really understood why it Marleen Gorris: I was very interested in the subject because there would be worth commenting on a film that a film has a woman as a is so little done with that particular period. The Stalin Purges. person. It still seems to be very unusual. Given the fact that more Stalin in general. And I was also fascinated with Russia. Even than half of the people on this earth are women we should get this now, a great part of the population worships Stalin. So obviously attention. the did not do anything with their history in that sense as for instance the Germans did. What I mean is that it came out into Gorris—WHiRLWIND—5

NL: It’s funny you don’t say to a man I’ve noticed that you only terms of getting films made. And I think you have to find a way. make films about men. Europeans are more interested in what I do so I tend to go there. They don’t pay as much but they tend to make your films. But my W&H: Do you feel that taking that position has helped your advice is really to absolutely persevere with what you’re truly career? Hurt your career? Or is it just who you are? interested in. Otherwise everything sounds alike.

MG: Well, it is just who I am. It’s difficult of course to say if it’s MG: That is definitely my advice as well. Persevere. Because what hurt my career. In a sense I have had an Oscar for Antonia’s Line else can you do? Or choose a completely different profession all which is a very feminist point of view as well. So I certainly can’t together. complain of lack of attention. Of course, if I had made completely mainstream films or films lacking feminist perspective – then my W&H: You come from a place where a woman’s vision is treated career would certainly look different I imagine. differently. Is that true?

W&H: I see from your bio you directed an episode of the L Word? Marleen: I don’t know in general. I’m not so sure. My first films Was that fun? Enjoyable? How did you like working here in the were met with a lot of opposition and also, fortunately, a lot of US? encouragement. But in many ways I find the states freer. And almost every woman works in the states. But that’s not the case MG: I have worked in the US before. I did a film called Carolina with Holland, even though Holland quite an emancipated country. with Shirley MacLaine and Julia Stiles which went straight to DVD because the Weinstein Company didn’t like it enough I think. And the others were British. And they asked me one time. And I thought yes, I liked working in the states. Actually, most of it was done in Vancover so I didn’t really work in the states.

W&H: Can you talk a little about the Virginia Woolf movie and your experience with that?

MG: That also took years. It was really a wonderful experience with who is a magnificent actress. I actually shot the first part with the older people first. Then we had a break in the film because the producer lost all his money. Then the American distributors of Antonia’s Line took over the film and gave me the money to finish it three weeks later. And then I did the younger generation. That was very fortunate because that almost James van Maanen, trustmovies.com: never happens that you break a film in the middle and then You'll probably remember Ms Gorris as the filmmaker whose someone else gives you money to finish it. It was hugely enjoyable movie Antonia's Line (for my money one of the great films of all making a film like that. time) won a deserved Oscar for 1996's Best Foreign Film. She also made the interesting, if not totally successful, Mrs. Dalloway; W&H: What is it like to be a director where you’re from? What is The Luzhin Defence and the film that put her on the map, A it like to be a woman director from a country where you can have a Question of Silence. Now, in Within the Whirlwind, Gorris is body of work? working at very close to her best, using her star, the very fine Emily Watson (who worked with the director previously on MG: The main difference is that women filmmakers, or any Luzhin) to excellent advantage. Watson has her finest role since filmmaker from a small country, is subsidized by the government. her film debut in , and this new movie is even That is something that Denmark has, and we in Holland and better than what she made for the jokey Mr.von Trier. Germany. In that sense it’s easier. I think we have in Holland Within the Whirlwind is a relatively conventional biopic, quite a number of women filmmakers, even though there are still but one done with immaculate intelligence, plenty of creativity aren’t as many as men. But there is not such strict difference as and the kind of good taste that seems to know innately what and apparently there are in America. I did try at one time to make a what not to stick up there on the screen. Written by Nancy Larson, film here in the states because I was asked and that didn’t work from Ms Ginzburg's own memoir, the film tosses us, almost from out. And then of course you go onto other things. But it’s tough. the first, into the paranoid purges of Russian dictator Joseph Stalin Whatever you do – it’s tough. and his apparatchiks (Ginzburg's chief adversary is played by Ian Hart). We quickly learn that Evgenia's husband is going to be of W&H: What is your advice for an upcoming and/or established little help. Whether he is frightened for his own skin or that of screenwriter? And what is your advice for a director? their children, Evgenia is soon on her own. If you know history at all, you'll also know that few of the Russian intelligentsia of the NL: For me I have not had very good luck with the studios. I’ve time escaped these purges. Imprisonment was preferable to death, had good luck in terms of getting many commissions but not in and Ginzburg manages the former -- in the Siberian gulag. Gorris—WHiRLWIND—6

For a film that deals mainly with a time of captivity in a and yet, extermination did not seem to have been the goal. So how place of wretched deprivation, Gorris and Larson contrive to show to portray all this? It demands a different focus, without placing us a fair amount of small, kind -- sometimes quite surprising -- too much emphasis on politics, or horror, or romance or even moments. From a bowl of raspberries handed by a peasant girl poetry. So I hope the film did come out well, with the right into the boxcar in which our prisoners are being shipped to a balance," she told us. At which point, via applause, the audience dinner in the home of Russian camp commandant and the many assured her that it had. acts of kindness between the women prisoners -- one of whom How did she incorporate the poetry so well? "Poetry was steps in front of a guard's rifle to protect her friend -- these tiny so important to Evgenia, so it was equally important to us that we fragments build slowly, helping use the correct amount -- and the women to survive and the make it fit within the film." audience to thrive. How did she come to Gorris has always been choose Emily Watson for the intensely interested in women and role? "I had worked with how they fit into the world. And Emily on The Luzhin Defence if her men range from craven (the and had loved her work ever father of Evgenia's children -- since Breaking the Waves. though what else could he do Emily really wanted to be here when so few of his ilk got out with us today but could not alive) to barbaric (the prison come because she is making a guards), they can occasionally film in -- which is a (like the German prison doctor, long commute." beautifully played by Ulrich …Where was the film Tukur) be a source of joy and shot? In Russia, perhaps? "We help. shot the film in Poland and As a writer and poet, Ginzburg is sustained through her Germany. We attempted to use Russia: I spent a fruitless weekend imprisonment by the art of poetry. One of Gorris' achievements is there, and our producer was arrested at the border for some very to give this poetry its proper place, along with the politics of the small reason and then had to pay an entire new air fare to get back time, the horror of prison life and the sustaining love Ginzburg home. I don't think the authorities would have been helpful, had finds from both her women co-prisoners and her doctor. That the we have even been able to reach them. But, of course, you never filmmakers manage to honor all these with intelligence and feeling know." adds up to a quiet triumph. Were the tensions between Evgenia and her husband also At the audience Q&A following the screening, Ms Gorris apparent in her memoir? "Not so much," Ms. Larson told us, " but and Ms Larson were asked some thoughtful questions which they they are there if you read between the lines." answered with equal thought. One viewer wanted to know how the The Anti-Semitism was not particularly underscored in director had become interested in this subject. Gorris explained the movie. "No, it was certainly present, but Evgenia does not that her interest went back quite a long while. Financing for the speak much about that. I think she saw this as more directed film took a very long time to raise, but this gave the director and against the intellectuals. In the camp itself, there was a strong the writer the chance to keeping working on the script while differentiation between the criminal prisoners and the intellectuals, learning more about Ginzburg's life. and the latter were at the bottom of the pile and were preyed upon "You find out what you're really interested in, and then terribly by the criminal element." you pursue it," explained Larson. For her part, Gorris was Was the "I have a body" poem by Osip Mandelstam particularly intersted in how political paranoia could lead to referred to in her memoir? "No," explained the director, "but I felt something as awful as what we see here, in the process discovering it was so right and was necessary to have in the film." also how one could find some humanity present. Was the burying of the piece of candy also referred to in "This was a particularly difficult script to get right," the the memoir? "No, that was not there, either. We just imagined it!" director explained. "So many people died in these labor camps,

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