OUR ROOTS - INTERNATIONAL FILM PROJECT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Like tree roots, our family roots – our cultural and ancestral heritage – run deep. Often, they twist and turn, and are spread over a wide area. Sometimes, they are even entwined with others, creating a system of connections. Special stories are woven into the fabric of the “family” web. These stories are what make your family different from other families. Sometimes, they happen to narrate certain traditions, such as during the holidays, which are unique to the area in which your family grew up; and sometimes, they illustrate the types of lives your older relatives and ancestors carried out. Hardships, tales of love, everyday undertakings, even things as simple as anecdotes about how a family member acquired a nickname – these are all delicate pieces of intimate histories. And, as they as delicate, their realities can crumble over time if such stories are not maintained. We should work hard to preserve them for the sake of our own ancestors, ourselves, and perhaps one day, our own children.
We are all aware that there exist gaps in our knowledge about our families but with a little investigating, you may find that it isn’t so hard to find special family tales that could be lost otherwise.
Where is your family from? What stories did your grandparents tell you about their lives? What have your parents told you about your older relatives? We invite you to submit a short film sharing your family history in creative and unique ways.
The Project “Our Roots” was inspired by the educational programs and video contests organized in Poland by Centropa and the Galicia Jewish Museum.
Like tree roots, our family roots – our cultural and ancestral heritage – run deep. Often, they twist and turn, and are spread over a wide area. Sometimes, they are even entwined with others, creating a system of connections. Special stories are woven into the fabric of the “family” web. These stories are what make your family different from other families. Sometimes, they happen to narrate certain traditions, such as during the holidays, which are unique to the area in which your family grew up; and sometimes, they illustrate the types of lives your older relatives and ancestors carried out. Hardships, tales of love, everyday undertakings, even things as simple as anecdotes about how a family member acquired a nickname – these are all delicate pieces of intimate histories. And, as they as delicate, their realities can crumble over time if such stories are not maintained. We should work hard to preserve them for the sake of our own ancestors, ourselves, and perhaps one day, our own children.
We are all aware that there exist gaps in our knowledge about our families but with a little investigating, you may find that it isn’t so hard to find special family tales that could be lost otherwise.
Where is your family from? What stories did your grandparents tell you about their lives? What have your parents told you about your older relatives? We invite you to submit a short film sharing your family history in creative and unique ways.
The Project “Our Roots” was inspired by the educational programs and video contests organized in Poland by Centropa and the Galicia Jewish Museum.