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declared its independence. . . . After we closed in Kiev, we traveled by train to Kharkiv. At the station we were met by members of parliament who proudly told us that Communist property had been seized in Kharkiv that morning. ... In Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine, In the Light was performed at the Shevchenko National Theatre, formerly the Berezil—Les Kurbas's theatre from 1926-1933. All the rooms of this theatre, especially the archive and museum of the theatre, were full of Kurbas's presence. . . . In Lviv our show played at the beautiful theater . . . where Kurbas had worked for a short time when he was a student. Our actors [are] young New York actors who also dream of creating a new world on stage and search for a connection to a past.” One of those actors was Amy Grappell, who would transform the events of those days into a cinematographic story. Light From the East: Director’s Synopsis Summer 1991. Glasnost. Perestroika. The Soviet Union opens its doors to the West. On the other side of the world a troupe of young actors from the La Mama Theater in New York City gather to participate in the first American Ukrainian cultural exchange theater project in history. Among the troupe on its way to Ukraine is American actress and filmmaker Amy Grappell, who has brought a cinematographer to document the historic event. The troupe begins to rehearse the play A Light From the East , a drama that explores the life and work of nationally acclaimed Ukrainian theater director Les Kurbas. Despite political resistance, Kurbas and his company had revolutionized the Ukrainian theater of the 1920s by introducing world classics and modern techniques to Ukrainian stages. His dream of international theater clashed with government ideals and he was killed during one of Stalin’s purges. As the American troupe prepares for opening night, Gorbachev is kidnapped, the Kremlin is overthrown by a military coup, and the entire USSR is plunged into volatile uncertainty. The troupe finds itself trapped at the epicenter of a political revolution. Inspired by the courage of the Ukrainian people, the actors remain in Ukraine, determined to put on the play rather than leave, as they have been encouraged to do by the American Consulate. As rehearsals progress, the action in the streets begins to mirror the play: Kurbas and his company struggled to make art during the revolution that ushered in communism; the American troupe performs the life of Kurbas as the walls of communism come tumbling down. Between rehearsals, Grappell and her host, Natalia, interview average Ukrainians, who show that the concept of freedom is complex and that after nearly a century of repression, it will take time for most of them to feel “free.” Statement from Director Amy Grappell Filmed during the massive political changes of 1991, including the fall of communism and Ukraine’s declaration of independence, Light From the East takes viewers through a philosophical inquiry into the meaning of freedom. Director Amy Grappell describes what occurred: “I began work on Light From the East imagining the film would document an unpre cedented theater production that was worthy of note because it broke new ground in the area of American-Soviet artistic collaboration. I had no way of knowing that my camera would witness events that changed the world. When Natalia woke me up on the morning of August 19, 1991, screaming ‘Gorbachev isn’t president anymore,’ I was in disbelief and replied ‘Does this happen often?’ At that moment, it struck me how removed Americans are from the immediacy of political events and have become complacent. With networks and media sources shut down, the Ukrainians could only rely on each other. There was an enormous beauty in joining them as they congregated in the square to take back their country. I was moved by their spirit and realized as an American I had something to learn about liberty from a people who had lived for nearly a century under repression.” “Because I believe, as the diary of Les Kurbas reads, that ‘art is where the unity of humanity becomes manifest; it’s where our true selves converse with one another’—I have aimed to create a film that is more a lyrical meditation than a traditional documentary. Like a poem can capture the essence of a complex issue through vivid imagery and evocative language, it is my hope that Light From the East will examine the nature of Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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