More documentary in its approach than dramatized history, this is a compelling story about a 1901 children’s strike in Wrzesnia near the Polish border with Prussia. Poland was partitioned at this time, and a rigidly patriotic Prussian teacher in Wrzesnia follows the dictates of the Germans in parliament and insists that the children be taught their religion classes in German. When the children refuse to take part in the classes, they are supported by the local priest, but that does not save them from being beaten. They are also kept after school and tormented in other ways as well. Newspapers, parents, and the nation as a whole get involved, transforming a simple children’s strike into a national incident.
Category: History
History
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Ah! Nomugi toge – Shinryokuhen
Sequel to “Nomugi Pass”
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December 20th
Set in December of 1917 after the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. Lenin and the communists are making every effort to strengthen their power. Lenin appoints Felix Dzerzhinsky the Commissar for Internal Affairs and the head of the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and Sabotage (CheKa). It became the predecessor of GPU and KGB.
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Why was Cairo Calm
It begins in the days after Sadat’s assassination in 1981 by an islamist cell of army officers. The American media had led an outpouring of shock and grief in the United States at the death of the heroic president. All the western leaders then travelled to Cairo to say goodbye to the man who had courageously changed the course of history. But then they found that practically no Egyptians turned up to the funeral. And the western politicians and the American TV reporters couldn’t understand why. The documentary tries to find the answer.
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Variola Vera
An Albanian pilgrim, infected with an unknown disease, is on his way back to Belgrade from the Middle East. When doctors realize that it is a disease that has been considered eradicated, it is already too late – variola vera begins to languish and the hospital is quarantined.
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Yaroslav the Wise
In the XIth century Kyivan Rus’ (Ukraine-Rus’) reached its zenith under the reign of Yaroslav. He established enduring ties with many of the ruling European dynasties, strengthened the borders of Rus’ and tried to free it from the influence of the Byzantine Empire. Since 988 the church of Rus’ had been autonomous, apart from the right of Constantinople to appoint the Metropolitan.
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Ninja Hunt
It’s a rare occasion when a noted filmmaker like Yamauchi Tetsuya gets to re-visit a previous film, and in this re-make of NINJA GARI, he not only does that, but has created an even better piece. While the original from 1964 starred the great old-time actor Konoe Jushiro, this version is perfectly cast with his son Matsukata Hiroki in the lead as Wadakuro, one of four ronin hired to fight against the Shogunate’s plot to abolish the Gamo Clan, who are struggling to reinstate their young heir Tanemaru as their Lord. Facing the threat of the Koga Ninja, Wadakuro shows his own cruelty while on a personal vendetta. This is a very brutal film, with lots of realistic ninja action, violent deaths, a dark story line and is completely without any light-hearted ‘humor’ elements that Toei used to incorperate back in the golden era. And with Matsukata Hiroki’s outstanding martial skills, the swordplay is even better in this one. This is definitely one of the best ninja movies ever made!
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Shadow Conspirator
One night, Genjiro Tsurumi, a former ronin comes across a man being attacked by a group of assassins. The dying man is an official secret agent carrying a secret letter addressed to General Matsudaira. Genjiro meets with Matsudaira, who informs him of the existence of a mysterious group, the Hachitake… who aims to overthrow the Shogunate.
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The Great Samoyed
The eventful history of Tyko Vylka, the first Nenets artist, cartographer, polar explorer, participant in World War II, chairman of the Novaya Zemlya Island Council.