Pola Chapelle, Jonas Mekas, Adolfas Mekas
3 Journeys to Lithuania
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Add rightsFormat DVD Interzone
Original format 16mm, 8mm, DV
Year 1971-1972
Language(s) English
Artist(s) Pola Chapelle, Jonas Mekas, Adolfas Mekas, Anne Maregiano
Sous-titres French, English, Lithuanian
Booklet 60 pages (French, English)
Running time 261 min
Films
REMINISCENCES OF A JOURNEYY TO LITHUANIA (1972) 82'
GOING HOME (1971) 60'
JOURNEY TO LITHUANIA (1971) 102'
JOURNEY TO PARIS by Anne Maregiano (2004) 17'
Description
"I thought of Thomas Wolfe's words, but I didn't speak them. The brothers were uneasy, but determined. We were going to make films about their return after so many years to their homeland. I handled the sound with the little Uher and, in the meantime, I shot my personal film in 8mm. One morning, the five Mekas brothers lined up and allowed the family to measure their height. Under Mama Mekas's gaze, she spoke very solemnly. Adolfas translated for me. She said: My husband and I planted five birch trees. Two were straight and beautiful (Paul and Peter), one grew crooked (Costas who limped) and two fell. The two that fell were Jonas and Adolfas. She lost them. The whole time we spent with her, she never showed emotion. It was only when she accompanied us to Vilnius airport that I saw tears in her eyes when Jonas and Adolfas kissed her. She loved them, and she was going to lose them twice."
— Pola Chapelle