DE BESSARABIA A ENTE RÍOS
ARTICLES
Monday, May 14, 2007
IMMIGRATION AND MEMORY,
A VIEW WITH A LOCAL FOCUS
By paolodeganutti@infoextradigital.com.ar
Driven by the desire to rebuild the family story, Pedro Banchik directed a film describing the immigration into Entre Ríos in the last quarter of the 19th Century. The film was praised at international festivals in Buenos Aires and Uruguay. It was also screened last Friday in the Israeli Association, at the beginning of a festival held in celebration of the institution’s 95th anniversary.
It had never occurred to Pedro Banchik, born in Villaguay and currently living in Buenos Aires, that a video meant for recalling family memories would end up becoming an internationally awarded film. And so it was, indeed. His film, From Bessarabia to Entre Ríos, was recognized at the IV International Jewish Film Festival in Argentina, held last November; and received an award in a similar festival hosted in Punta del Este last February. Besides, it has been included in the Diaspora Museum Archive, and is currently undergoing the selection process of 18 international festivals.
The truth is that family members and even strangers are surprised about the success of a video made by a chemical engineer to tell the story of his ancestors in a family reunion held in October 2005, where the film was first screened.
HAPPINESS. “Honestly, I´m extremely happy with this material as it is highly didactic and pedagogical”, Banchik told EL DIARIO. The engineer, who turned into a director as a result of the circumstances, visited Paraná last Friday to attend the film screening at the Paraná Israeli Association. The film screening,which was attended by a large audience, was the first event of a series of activities organized by the local institution to celebrate their 95th anniversary. As Julio Kovalsky told us, the institution’s celebration will last the whole year and will consist of several activities. “There will be cultural and sports events, as well as the main celebration to be held in October”, as explained by the director of the Israeli Association, who accompanies the film maker in the picture.
TRASCENDENT. “My primary intention was to make a five-minute video to be screened in a family meeting attended by family members from other provinces and countries”, recalled Banchik. That is how From Bessarabia to Entre Ríos was born. Then, after finishing the script —based on thorough research—, he started collecting documents, statements and finally began shooting in several locations. Then, he finished editing the material and finally put image, music and sound together. “This process, where I have learnt a lot, was driven by a fundamental motive: a passion for reconstructing the story of my ancestors.”
The material, which was originally meant to last five minutes, started to get broader and led the director into one direction, until the family story and the historical and sociological research on immigration became one. The topic then covered the real story of many communities that settled in Entre Ríos to make their dreams of peace and work come true.
SOURCES. His enthusiasm and dedication were crutial at the point he reached with the final material, as the director explained. In order to get documentation, he resorted to, among other sources, the Villa Domínguez Museum, the Latin American Immigration Center, the Mormon Archive, Internet and interviews with immigrants’ descendents.
“I think one of the main reasons why my film has been so widespread is the fact that the family story represents 30 % of the film. The rest is dedicated to other immigration-related issues that make other people feel identified with it”, explained Banchik.
It also explains part of a country´s history. “In 1898, there were over 4,000 inhabitants in Villa Domínguez (Villaguay county). Today, there are only 40 left”, illustrates Banchik.
PROJECTS. Anyway, once the film was screened in his family gathering, the director did not expect the success it would have. “Each guest took a copy of it, I thought that would be all, just a family remembrance. However, later I started to receive comments and requests. I began to follow a path that led me to where I am today”, added the producer, who now receives offers to produce other films and is analyzing the possibility to show his film abroad. Even though it was not meant as a commercial video, he may consider the possibility of having it distributed in the mass market.
Moreover, he emphasizes the possibility that Entre Ríos might be known by audiences around the globe since the film shows the province from the geographical, historical and social point of view, as a background to the story. “Once, someone suggested that the title “From Bessarabia to Argentina” would be more suitable for marketing reasons, however, I was sure that the title should make reference to Entre Ríos, so I sticked to my point of view.”
Likewise, the director highlighted the fact that it has been declared a film of Cultural Interest by the Deputy Secretary of Culture of said province, in addition to having been recognized as a film of Cultural and Legislative Interest by the Argentine Senate.
View article on Infoextra Digital
© 2007 Pedro Banchik