BIROBIDJAN

Guy-Marc Hinant | Russia, Belgium 2015 | 124 Min. | OmeU

In 1934, Stalin created an independent state for communist Jews from the Soviet Union and around the world. Families immigrated from Ukraine, France, Brooklyn… After the purges and auto-da-fés of the 20th century, what is left of this country, its culture, and its language is teetering on the edge of oblivion. This is a darkly intimate portrait of Birobidjan, almost like an inventory prior to this community’s disappearance.