Polish Filmmakers Wrestle With the Weight of History, Even As It Unfolds Before Their Eyes
variety.comChristopher Vourlias Three decades ago, just a few years after the fall of the Berlin Wall ushered in a new era of hope and promise in Europe, Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland made the historical drama “Europa, Europa,” which follows the harrowing ordeal of a Jewish teenager who goes to impossible lengths to survive the Holocaust.
The title, says Holland, was meant to express “the duality of the European tradition: Europe of our aspirations, the cradle of culture and civilization, the rule of law and democracy, human rights, equality and fraternity, but on the other hand, Europe as the cradle of the worst crimes against humanity, selfishness and hatred.” Throughout her career, the three-time Academy Award nominee has found inspiration in “the great and tragic subjects of the 20th century,” powered by the conviction that “history is relevant, that what happened is relevant,” Holland tells Variety.
Her latest film, “Green Border,” which has its North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival after bowing in competition at Venice, shows a director in the thrall of history as it unfolds in real time.
It focuses on the humanitarian crisis taking place along Poland’s border with Belarus, whose pro-Kremlin strongman Aleksandr Lukashenko has attempted to flood the E.U.
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