And Give My Love to the Swallows – film and discussion with Magda Vašáryová
Festival Meeting Brno will introduce the movie followed by a discussion with Magda Vášáryová, diplomat and the actress who played Marie Kudeříkové in Jaromil Jireš’s film “And Give My Love to the Swallows” and Libor Kratochvíl, son of František Kratochvíl – leader of the resistance movement of which Kudeříková was a member. Moderating the discussion will be Historian Michal Konečný, author of the book Brno nacistické
Member of the resistance movement Marie Kudeříková is well known to those in schools before 1989, but forgotten by the younger generation. Condemning all the heroes of the communist era was a part of how our society dealt with our own history after the velvet revolution. This year’s 80th anniversary of this incredibly brave woman’s murder is an opportunity to remind ourselves of her story without the weight of ideology and find inspiration within this story, which has remained relevant till this day.
About the film:
I’ve always had the courage to live, I’m not losing it even when standing face to face with what our language calls death… They say that 99 days will pass between the verdict and the execution itself. That’s the time left for Marie Kudeříková (M. Vášáryová), a young, insightful girl convicted of treason because of her role in the resistance movement during the nazi occupation. While on death row in Vratislav, POland, she paint the eyes of wooden soldiers and reminisces about her family, friends, her home village in Slovácko, her loves, but also the actions of which she has been convicted. She also writes letters home. These letters were the main reason for her becoming a symbol of resistance to nazi occupation.
This event will be in Czech only.
Tickets for 150/100 CZK available here.
Week of the martyrs – “From statue to statue”
In cooperation with the City of Brno, the Meeting Brno festival is hosting an event called Week of the martyrs – “From statue to statue”. Two women connected to Brno, Marie Kudeříková and blessed Marie Restituta, were killed by the Nazis a few days apart exactly 80 years ago.
Kudeříková was an anti fascist active in the communist resistance movement and a successful saboteuse. She did not reveal the names of her accomplices despite being tortured in nazi prisons. Marie Restituta, a nun from Brno Husovice, refused to take down crucifixes from hospital walls and was accused of spreading anti nazi symbols. Both were executed by guillotine.
Meeting Brno has been remembering these two women since 2017, when we started the initiative “Even a lightbulb has a statue”, which pointed out that, with the exception of Marie Kudeříková, there isn’t a single statue dedicated to a brno woman. Thanks to this initiative and public voting, a statue of Marie Restituta was commissioned by the Brno city council.
During the Week of the martyrs from 26 – 31st of March a number of events will commemorate these martyrs, including visiting the Franciscan Sisters in Vienna, who are keeping the legacy of their former member Marie Restituta alive.
