by FilmInk Staff
Directed by Ros Horin
In cinemas from October 27
From Ros Horin, the director of acclaimed documentaries The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe and Rosemary’s Way, comes Welcome to Yiddishland, a place with no borders where progressive artists create provocative new works in an ancient endangered language that speaks to our times.
Welcome to Yiddishland will screen at the Jewish International Film Festival in Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth with a cinema release to follow, and is distributed by Label Distribution.
Welcome to Yiddishland offers an upbeat, witty and timely exploration of a global community of artists who are rediscovering and revitalising the endangered Yiddish language through their progressive and provocative creative works.
As the film travels through Yiddishland – not a homeland but a heartland without borders – we journey across continents, from Melbourne to Berlin, New York to Haifa to meet the diverse array of individuals who find solace, identity, and inspiration within Yiddish language and culture.
Yiddish was the language that was born among Jews in the diaspora of Eastern Europe more than a thousand years ago. Now there is a revival of Yiddish language and culture taking place being led by a new young generation who did not grow up with it – but are discovering it for the first time.
Ros Horin says: “Our citizens of Yiddishland may not be large in numbers, but they are global – spreading from Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Berlin, New York, Paris, Melbourne – they are connected, and they are driving a renaissance in Yiddish Arts and Culture today.
“Our film explores what drives these young creative Yiddishists, how and why they came to Yiddish and the pertinent, urgent messages this ancient language offers us in these uncertain times. In this way, our film reveals the pivotal role artists play in revitalising endangered languages and cultures.”
Full of great music and performance the film is a shot of joy! It includes performance material by brilliant artists including Barrie Kosky and the international troubadour Dan Kahn; and Melbourne’s own 23 piece Yiddish Big Band YID!
