An exhibition dedicated to the development of Belarusian cinema is being held in Vitebsk, the Vitebsk Regional Museum of Local Lore, where it will be presented, informed a BELTA correspondent.
An exhibition dedicated to the development of Belarusian cinema is being held in Vitebsk, the Vitebsk Regional Museum of Local Lore, where it will be presented, informed a BELTA correspondent.
The project "Vitebsk. The Time of Silent Stars" covers the period from the 1890s to the end of the 1930s and introduces the first steps in the development of Belarusian cinema, the specifics of the film distribution system, and the preferences of film audiences. Special attention is paid to the development of "film thought" as a whole and Belarus's close connection with world cinema, reflecting Belarus's full membership in the unified film space of that time. The exhibition, which includes original exhibits from museums, archives, and private collections, as well as unique Vitebsk film posters from the early 20th century from the Lithuanian Archive of Literature and Art, which will be displayed in Belarus for the first time, will tell about all this. The exhibition will also be supported by a screening of the first silent films during the Museum Night on May 18.
"To date, no research on this topic has been published, which is due to the political realities of the Soviet era and the difficulty in obtaining information. Therefore, the goal of the project authors is to help restore historical memory and national self-awareness. The project should serve as an impetus for the development of Belarusian art and cinema," the staff emphasized.
The museum noted that the first Lumière brothers' film screening on Belarusian lands took place 120 years ago at the Vitebsk Yacht Club. In this regard, a silent film screening is planned for City Day in June on the wall of a building in the centre, not far from where the yacht club was located. Residents and guests of Vitebsk will see "The Thief of Bagdad" from 1924 starring Douglas Fairbanks. Incidentally, articles and posters from that time, confirming the incredible popularity of this film, will also be presented at the exhibition.
The official partners of the project are the National Historical Museum of Belarus and the Lithuanian State Archive of Literature and Art. The author of the idea is Frederik Stern. The authors and curators of the project are Maya Katsnelson and Nadezhda Kuharenko. Research for the project was conducted in four countries and continues to this day. The project authors have found unique materials of immense historical value.
The grand opening of the exhibition will take place on May 16. It can be visited until June 30.