Communist Remains


It took me a while to think about a title for this blog entry. My new roommate, Gosia, suggested "Smells of Communism". Then I thought about writing in Spanish, so I brainstormed another bit. Anyhow, finally I just came to the conclusion that if my main interest is to portray the remaining communist influence in present-day Poland according to my experiences during the past week or so, I should keep the title simple and to the grain. Moreover, exclude prejudices, biased notions, or in between the line meanings, in order to focus on a mere account of my experience on Polish ground.

My impression so far??? Communism is still felt all over!

Although Nazi occupation officially ended in 1945 and according to some sources, in modern day (post-1989) Poland communists have a minimal impact on political and economical life, the truth is that many aspects of Polish society still conform to communist ways of life. As I mentioned before, I have only been here for merely a week, therefore it is not my intention to create false stereotypes or reach conclusions based on partial evidence. I will focus solely on a couple of examples where I consider communism to still be strongly felt in this country.

Nowa Huta is the first.


During a recent visit to Krakow with my friend Kasia, we visited this quarter developed in the 1950's as a modern industrial town autonomous of Krakow, and a symbol for the birthplace of a new socialist society planned by the Communist Party leaders. Basically, Nowa Huta, which means New Steelwork, was a residential and self-sufficient complex designed for over 30,000 steel workers originally from Polish villages to settle and raise the local steel production. From its founding Nowa Huta was controversial. The erection of a church here was opposed by communist authorities resulting in riots and threats. Its architecture is also of communist-orientation. My friend Kasia showed me how it is possible to observe what your neighbors are doing from every corner as to alert the authorities if any suspicious activity was being held. Also, conforming to communist practice, all buildings were constructed in the same manner. Same color, same height, and the apartments were also furnished in the same way. The avenues were made wide, trees were planted, stores and services were created... All with the intention of founding a self-sufficient communist paradise on earth.



I was interested in visiting Nowa Huta mainly because Kapuscinski wrote about this 1950's Communist symbol and one of his chronicles actually awarded him an important prize. During our visit there we were able to interview a guy called Pawel, who is born and breed a nowahutian and needless to say, extremely proud of his heritage, which he considers to be very different from the rest of Krakow. He owns a bar in the Nowa Huta Cultural Center.

This excentric cave-looking hole in the wall where Solidarnósc pictures, red stars and antique radios cover the walls. Definetely a one of a kind experience to sip on earl grey tea while listening to Pawel talking about his family´s memories settling in this complex.


It is pretty obvious that communist influence is evident in places like Nowa Huta, although it is also capable of being observed and sensed on a daily basis. Maybe not as evident as before, although definetely still present. The train system for instance is another way of portraying these remains. Travelling as a second class passenger on a Polish train is definetely an experience, sometimes even a nightmare! No seats are guaranteed, therefore on many occasions you must run to ensure you will be spending your trip in a place other than the corridor or a tiny spot next to the toilet. Most trains date back to Communist times and are therefore slow and ancient... although on the bright side, cheap and punctual.

Hospitals are my next example. Today, my sixth day of non-stop coughing, fever, and head cold symptoms forced me to visit a doctor. My roommate Gosia helped me to call a taxi and soon enough I found myself in a waiting room inside a Polish Szpitala (hospital). Well, actually two, because the first one was unable to help me out. Total communist remains once again! No signs of private medical insurance or private hospital rooms. Everything seemed to be shared and equal for all.

After testing my poor Polish skills, I was finally told I had to wait an hour for an English speaking doctor and decided to lay down on a bench. A nurse signaled me to a room with two humble-looking beds where I was able to properly lay down (although according to sources, beds are usually scarce). She brought me a comforter, tucked me in, took my temperature, and soon enough, a Nazi looking doctor, who was actually really nice, came to my aid. He examined me, asked me for my medical card, student card, international insurance, and since I had none, I think they pitied me, and luckily enough I was able to leave with a diagnose of bronchitis (not so lucky) and best of all, a ZERO FEE! Pointless it is to say that this scenario would most likely never happen in Puerto Rico or the US. Do I sense communist remains?

Finally, the BAR MLECZNY (or milk bar) is my last example. These luxury-less cafeterias with bare walls and simple tables used to once upon a communist time serve cheap home cooked dinners for the public. Now they are still great options for students or any person who enjoys eating well and is probably on a budget. Pierogi (Polish dumplings) and a berry yogurt drink was my choice! No English is spoken here anyhow, therefore without the help of a local they are definetely hard to find. Most meals will most likely leave your tummy full and satisfied for several hours!

DEKALOG



En 1989, Krzysztof Kieślowski, un reconocido director de cine polaco, co-dirigió y produjo una de sus obras cumbres: una serie televisiva de diez dramas, cada una basada en uno de los diez mandamientos de la iglesia católica y desarrollados en la moderna Varsovia que intenta sobrevivir las ruinas del comunismo. Dekalog fue considerada una obra maestra por muchos críticos porque desarrolla tramas ambiguas y contradictorias sobre temas polémicos que hasta cierto punto retan la autoridad y el poder político de la iglesia católica y ponen en evidencia la dureza del diario vivir polaco.

Rascacielos grises varsovianos de arquitectura comunista figuran como el punto de desarrollo principal de cada una de las historias. Los personajes que aparecen en la miniserie se enfrentan a la toma de decisiones complicadas y luchan con sus consciencias para salir a flote. Temas como el incesto, el adulterio, el aborto, la muerte, el homicidio, el holocausto y la mafia juegan un papel importante en la difusión simbólica de las ideologías que caracterizan al productor. Sin embargo, en cada uno de los filmes, en lugar de intentar disuadir o influenciar la postura de la audiencia, Kieślowski no llega a ninguna conclusión, sino que simplemente plantea una situación complicada e invita a la reflexión.

Aunque las historias son independientes, el conjunto se enriquece con algunas claves en apariencia casuales. Muchos de los actores que aparecen en la serie, por ejemplo, también fueron utilizados en otras películas de Kieślowski. La simbología de estos filmes es evidente y sigue la corriente de una técnica multi-focal empleada a menudo por este director. En cada una de las pelis, por ejemplo, aparece un personaje místico sin-nombre y hasta cierto punto, sobrenatural, interpretado por Artur Barciś, que observa el comportamiento y las acciones de los protagonistas principales en momentos claves, pero nunca interviene, así como una especie de narrador omnipresente.
Otro de los símbolos que comparten los filmes de esta serie, además de la interpretación casi mística de cada uno de los mandamientos, es la aparición de la leche. A menudo el lente captura al lechero haciendo sus entregas mañaneras en botellas de vidrio por todo el complejo de vivienda o muchos de los personajes tomando y preparando la bebida.

La serie es brutal. La recomiendo sin restricciones.

A Potpourri of International Films Worth Watching

MADEINUSA (Peru, 2006)

Is a Spanish and Peruvian production directed by Claudia Llosa. The film takes place in an imaginary village in the middle of the Peruvian mountains called Manayaycuna, a word which means “the town where no one can enter” in Quechua. A young guy from Lima arrives unwillingly to the town during Holy Week, amid a festivity where a strange tradition is followed during that precise weekend. The locals believe that since God is dead and therefore cannot see, nothing is considered a sin. Madeinusa (beautiful Magaly Solier) is the main character, a local Quechua girl who is forced to deal with her father’s incestuous desires with her sister and herself- wishes to be taken to Lima, where her mother lives. A series of events develop where it is possible to observe one of the main themes: traditional village life and its many contradictions regarding religion, sex, and encountering the Other. Cinematography rocks and so does the script!


THE DAUGHTER OF KELTOUM (Algeria, 2001)

Mehdi Charef is the director of this Algerian film that portrays the story of Rallia, a beautiful girl, originally from a village in the Maghreb, but raised by an adoptive family in Geneva, Switzerland- who has decided to search for her mother who abandoned her when she was a baby. Holding on to this hope she returns to her traditional northern African village to find her grandfather and her lunatic aunt, although not her mother, who is supposedly working as a cleaner in a luxury hotel in another town. Rallia immerses herself in village life and eventually decides to venture to the city to find her mother.
The movie holds a central theme that goes beyond a daughter’s search for her mother. It strongly criticizes gender roles in northern African Islamic villages and portrays a bipartisan view of western versus eastern gender and cultural values and appreciations. Plus, in the end you will be surprised... Check it out!

The Sea Urchin (France, 2009)

In this film directed by Mona Achache, the general themes portrayed are the pathological compulsion for accumulating wealth, objects, and money versus the loneliness and extreme depression experimented by many people living in a large city as is Paris. The Sea Urchin is a great story involving Paloma, a pseudo-genius girl who lives with her parents and sister in a luxurious Parisian building and is incredibly depressed despite her young age. She insists she will commit suicide before her 11th birthday and therefore decides to document all the movements and conversations of the people around her in an effort to prove that everybody is incredibly depressed, neurotic, and unsatisfied in their lives. The film also portrays another relationship that develops between the building’s concierge, another neurotic and extremely lonely woman and a very wealthy Japanese man who ends up falling for her and teaching her to love again. Great storyline! Totally worth watching!

Movie Update: POLAND

In my last entry I revealed a valuable discovery that´s been successfully turning into a new hobby: Video Place and its wide array of international movies. I also promised to include a selection of the films I consider some of the best I’ve watched so far. Here are some of the titles categorized by their country of origin.



The first position goes to Poland, primarily because of the fact that I will shortly be living in this country and have become increasingly obsessed with anything born and bred there.

The trilogy Three Colors or Trois Coleurs occupies first place among my favorites. Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieślowski geniously co-wrote, produced, and directed this series while living in France during the 90’s.



The three very interesting movies: Red, White and Blue represent the colors of the French flag, as well as the revolutionary ideals of this country.

1. In the first film Red (Rouge), the main theme seems to be a strange relationship or bond that forms between a model and student played by actress Irène Jacob and a retired judge played by Jean-Louis Trintignant who spends his days eavesdropping people’s telephone conversations in an effort to establish justice. The film is my favorite among the three, and develops an important lesson between good and evil and a criticism towards law professionals and the judicial system. The color red is present throughout the plot, as well as other symbolism such as telephone conversations, broken glass, and the characters’ link to their past (a common theme in the other two films also).


2. White (Blanc) my second favorite movie in this trilogy, where this color is present throughout the whole plot (mainly through snowy scenes), begins in Paris and continues in Warsaw. Here, Karol Karol plays the main character: a shy man who is left by his wife and desperately tries to get back together with her after a series of despiteful events. He then attempts to restore his life and obtain revenge from her. The main theme here traces itself back to another of the French revolutionary ideals: equality. White’s tone is satiric combined with black humor.

3. My third favorite film of this trilogy is Blue (Bleu), and actually the first of the three. Juliette Binoche plays the main character, a woman whose husband and children have been killed in a car accident and now has to face being alone. She decides to cut all bonds from society and live secluded from anything that ties her to other human beings. The only belonging she keeps is a blue lamp: the color present throughout the film. The main theme here is liberty (emotional rather than political). In Blue’s last scene, the main characters of all three films come together.

4. Katyń (2007)
Is a film directed by Academy Honorary Award winning director, Andrzej Wajda and takes place in 1940 Poland during the massacre of Katyn, where more than 20,000 POW (prisoners of war) officers were executed by the Soviet authorities. The truth about this crime was covered and denied by the Soviets, who blamed the Germans, until 1989 when the Soviet rule collapsed. The film is based on the book Post Mortem: The Story of Katyn by Andrzej Mularczyk, a true story. The main character in Katyń is a captain played by Artur Zmijewski, who has been captured by the Soviet army and keeps a diary of all of his experiences and the horrid tortures he witnesses. Throughout the plot it is possible to see the censorship that took place during this time, first with the closing of a university and deporting its professors to concentration camps, and finally with a detailed description of the massive execution that took place at Katyń. The movie is definetely worth watching, especially because it is based on the director’s father’s memoir and displays a historic account of events, although extremely explicit and harsh at times.

A Valuable Discovery


Looking for an escape from Ph.D work, teaching summer classes, and with evenings free from duty, I have started to engage in a new passion: movie-watching. And I'm not referring to just any sort of movie. Forget Hollywood. NO action flicks, Brad Pitt look-alikes or any of that carry on. I refer to movies that educate and inspire transporting oneself to another nation, another culture, another reality. The kind of fix that only independent and international films can provoke in travellers at heart like myself. I have always adored engaging in hour-long international movie watching, although when living on a small island, the task of finding non-Hollywood flicks can be a nearly impossible mission. That is... until I found this impressive hole in the wall rental, which unlike its exquisite and varied selection of movies, goes by a very simple name: Video Place.

Video Place opened its doors the same year of my birth, almost 30 years ago, in Rio Hondo Mall, a landmark that divides 3 different towns: Toa Alta, Cataño, and Bayamón. Its owners, Miguel López and Carmen Mazzeo, his wife, are true film connoisseurs, who enjoy recommending different movies to all of their customers. Their enormous collection is divided by genre, geographical location and topic, and is able to satisfy almost any pallet: Italian, Polish, German, Eastern European, Cuban, Spanish, Indian, Mexican, Argentinian, local cinema, documentaries, drama, comedy, action, cut-vein, and other films ranging from the early 1930's to the present.

Considering the fact that during the past years most family-owned small video rental stores have not been able to compete with or survive the claws of multinational movie companies such as Video Club or Blockbuster, it is truly admirable to see how there are still a few exceptions, as is Video Place, where the public can be offered valuable on-screen art that portrays subjects other than mere violence, sex, and drugs.

This said, Video Place has become my week escape from work and daily stress, up to the point that since I discovered it two weeks ago, I have been back and forth several times and have watched at least 10 movies! For those of you who share this passion, I have included a short list and synopsis of the flicks, which I consider my favorite so far, and soon I´ll update another array of titles which I am currently engaging in.

Fire (1996, Director- Deepa Mehta)



Forms part of a trilogy entitled Elements, dedicated to some of India´s most controversial and tabooed social issues. The other two films that compose this trilogy are: Water (2005),



a story about Chuyia, an eight year old girl who becomes a widow and must move to a ashram in Varanasi to live the rest of her life in renunciation and as an outcast of society. This was a common practice in India during the British Raj, where it was believed that widows not only are burdened with bad karma and considered a financial burden for their families, but also because half of a woman also dies when she becomes a widow. This is a great film as well and I highly recommend it because of its superb cinematography, spirituality, plot development, and even music!

The other film is Earth (1998),


which I consider to be one of the best. Earth portrays the story of Lenny, a girl who polio and her wealthy family who tries to maintain neutral amid the brutal tensions between Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus. Great love story and very educative in order to understand the many cultural and religious identities in a country as complex as India.

Fire, on the other hand, is the first film of this trilogy (although it is not indispensable to follow the order). It is one of the few Indian films to portray a homosexual relationship between two women: Sita (a young girl who has recently married a man who doesn't love her and has another lover) and Radha (Sita's husband's sister in law, who is also caught in an unhappy marriage to her husband who under the influence of his spiritual leader, or Swamiji, has decided to maintain a vote of chastity). These two women initially become connected because of their common dissapointment in their husbands, and end up finding comfort and solace in one another until their relationship evolves and they become lovers.

The story is beautiful and is a fantastic way of viewing this social taboo through the eyes of New Delhi's conservative mindframe. Besides Sita and Radha's romance, the film revolves around a main theme: DESIRE (Fire) from each of the character's experience.

The screening of the movie in 1998, anyhow, cause major uprising in Mumbai, Calcutta, and other cities around the country. Members of the Shiv Sena (right wing political party) invaded and looted cinemas, people were injured, and others were arrested... The trilogy Elements is worth watching and unique to most mainstream Indian films, especially because of its theme treatment and development.

The three of them are totally worth watching. Three thumbs up to Deepa Mehta, great job!!!

Moolaadé (Protection)- 2004, Senegal.



Is a film directed by Senegalese writer and director Ousmane Sembène.
The movie portrays a central theme: female genital mutilation, a common practice among some African and Arabic countries. Moolaadé takes place in a remote village south of the Sahara Desert, where Collé, a woman, protects a group of girls from becoming ¨purified¨. She must confront the people of her village who believe that this brutal practice is necessary and forms part of the pillars of Islam. The film is not only ethnographic and a great portrayal of African village life, but also a hopeful sign that the positive effects of globalization and gender roles are evolving even in the most remote areas of the world.

Stay tuned for more movie posts...

"Nosotras y Ellos"

¡Saludos a todos!
En mi primera clase de español esta mañana, discutí con mis estudiantes este ensayo escrito por Rosa Montero, que aparece en su obra titulada "La vida desnuda".

Dado a que me he tornado un poco monotemática últimamente con esto de las relaciones de pareja, encontré pertinente compartir este pensamiento con ustedes. A mis estudiantes les encantó y a mi también. ¡Espero que lo disfruten!


NOSOTRAS Y ELLOS



He tardado muchos años de mi vida en llegar a comprender que si me gustan los hombres es precisamente porque no les entiendo. Porque son unos marcianos para mí, criaturas raras y como desconectadas por dentro, de manera que sus procesos mentales no tienen que ver con sus sentimientos; su lógica, con sus emociones; sus deseos, con su voluntad; sus palabras, con sus sueños.

Se habrán dado cuenta de que esto mismo es lo que siempre han dicho los hombres de nosotras: que las mujeres somos seres extraños e imprevisibles. Definidas socialmente así durante siglos por la voz del varón, que era la única voz pública, las mujeres hemos acarreado el sambenito de ser incoherentes e incomprensibles, mientras que los hombres aparecían como el más luminoso colmo de la claridad y la coherencia. Pues bien, de eso nada: "ellos" son desconcertantes, calamitosos y rarísimos. O al menos lo son para nosotras, del mismo modo que nosotras somos un misterio para ellos. Y es que poseemos, hombres y mujeres, concepciones del mundo diferentes, y somos, las unas para los otros, polos opuestos que al mismo tiempo se atraen y se repelan.

No sé bien qué es ser mujer, de la misma manera que no sé qué es ser hombre. Sin duda, somos identidades en perpetua mutación, complejas y cambiantes. Es obvio que gran parte de las llamadas características femeninas o masculinas son producto de una educación determinada, es decir, de la tradición, de la cultura. Pero es de suponer que la biología también debe influir en nuestras diferencias. El problema radica en saber por dónde pasa la raya, la frontera; qué es lo aprendido y qué lo innato. Es la vieja y no resuelta discusión entre ambiente (naturaleza) y herencia (crianza y proceso de socialización).

Sea como fuere, lo cierto es que hoy parece existir una cierta mirada de mujer sobre el mundo, así como una cierta mirada de varón. Y así, miro a los hombres con mis ojos femeninos y me dejan pasmada. Me asombran, me divierten, en ocasiones me admiran, a menudo me irritan y me desesperan, como irrita y desespera lo que parece absurdo. A ellos, lo sé, les sucede lo mismo. Leí en una ocasión un ingenioso artículo de Julián Barnes, uno de los jóvenes (ya no tan jóvenes) escritores británicos, en el que, tras hablar de lo raritas que somos las chicas, hacía un decálogo de misterios para él irresolubles en torno al alma femenina. He olvidado los demás, pero recuerdo uno de esos enigmas: ¿por qué las mujeres al conducir, se preguntaba Barnes, mueven todo el cuerpo hacia un lado o hacia el otro cuando toman las curvas? O sea, que así de remotas permanecemos los unos de las otras, como una ballena de un batracio, o como un escarabajo de un profesor de ciencias naturales.

A veces se diría que no pertenecemos a la misma especie y que carecemos de un lenguaje común.

El lenguaje, sobre todo el lenguaje, he aquí el abismo fundamental que nos separa. Porque nosotras hablamos demasiado y ellos hablan muy poco. Porque ellos jamás dicen lo que nosotras queremos oír, y lo que nosotras decimos les abruma. Porque nosotras necesitamos poner en palabras nuestros sentimientos y ellos no saben nombran nunca lo que sienten. Porque a ellos les aterra hablar de sus emociones verbalmente. Porque lo que ellos dicen no es lo que nosotras escuchamos, y lo que ellos escuchan no es lo que nosotras hemos dicho. Por todos esos malentendidos y muchos otros, la comunicación entre los sexos es un perpetuo desacuerdo.

Y de esta comunicación surge el deseo. Siempre creí que a lo que yo aspiraba era la comunicación perfecta con un hombre, con ese príncipe azul de los sueños de infancia, un ser que sabría adivinarme hasta en los más menudos pliegues interiores. Ahora he aprendido no sólo que esa fusión es imposible, sino además que es probablemente indeseable. Porque de la distancia y de la diferencia, del esfuerzo por saltar abismos y conquistar al otro o a la otra, del afán por comprenderle y descifrarle, nace la pasión. ¿Qué es el amor, sino esa gustosa enajenación; el salirte de ti para entrar en el otro o en la otra, para navegar por una galaxia distante de la tuya?

De manera que ahora, cada vez que un hombre me exaspera y me irrita, tiendo a pensar que esa extrana criatura es un visitante de, pongamos, Júpiter, al que se debe tratar con paciencia científica y con curiosidad y atención antropológicas. Hombres, seres extraordinarios y disparatados, capaces de todo tipo de heroicidades y bajezas. Esos hombres ásperos y dulces, amantes y enemigos; espíritus ajenos que, al ser lo otro, ponen las fronteras a nuestra identidad como mujeres y nos definen.

Rosa Montero (¨La vida desnuda¨)

Una mirada al mundo