Join us for a screening of new film "The Klezmer Project" followed by a discussion panel with Ilya Shneyveys, Colleen Bertsch, and moderated by Sarah Larsson.

A wedding cameraman falls in love with the clarinet player at a Jewish wedding and makes up a documentary about klezmer music to spend time with her. Full of music and witticisms, this romantic film explores the historical, social, and political place of language, culture, and music.

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Part of Klezmer on Ice; the Twin Cities' second annual wintertime celebration of Eastern European Jewish music and culture. Featuring a headliner concert by international klezmer supergroup FORSHPIL at the Cedar Cultural Center on Feb 4. For more information about Klezmer On Ice and the full lineup of events (1/31 - 2/4), visit klezmeronice.com.
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The Klezmer Project

Synopsis

Argentinian wedding videographer Leandro Koch has absolutely no interest in his Jewish background until he falls in love with clarinetist Paloma Schachmann. She specializes in klezmer music, the traditional Yiddish wedding music of Eastern Europe. He makes up a documentary about that music to spend time with her. This takes them on a journey through Eastern Europe in search of the lost klezmer melodies, visiting the last European practitioners of this genre.

Their wanderings through Ukraine, Romania, and Moldavia are mostly fruitless, with the Jewish presence limited to old photos and painful memories. What they do discover is that many local folk musicians still incorporate elements of the klezmer tradition in their repertoire.

Koch and Schachmann intertwine their personal journey with a folktale about two lovers who defy Jewish traditions, and music historian Rob Cohen explains why after the Second World War the language of the klezmer tradition—Yiddish—gave way to Hebrew, the language of the Zionists. In this way The Klezmer Project also becomes a requiem for a neglected language.

115 min | Yiddish, English, Spanish, German, with English subtitles

Post-film Discussion Panel

Join Latvian-American klezmer musician Ilya Shneyveys and Minnesotan ethnomusicologist specializing in East-Central European folk music, Dr. Colleen Bertsch, as they discuss music research “in the field” and traditional music scene-building. Moderated by local artist and culture bearer Sarah Larsson of Folk Will Save Us.

You must present a government-issued ID to gain access to the Minnesota JCC campuses. Thank you for your cooperation.

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This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

MN State Arts Board and Legacy Amendment logos