Monday, January 9, 2012 — 7:30 PM
Skirball Cultural Center (see map)
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles 90049
Speaker: Boris Kievsky
Growing up being called a Jew by Russians, a Russian by Americans and not quite fitting in with any of them, Ukrainian-born actor/filmmaker, Boris Kievsky, grew up with a confused sense of identity. Five years ago, in a desire to better understand who he was, Boris began to ask questions about his family history. What he discovered led him on a journey that took him back to the former Soviet Union and to the history of the Jewish participation in creating the Soviet Union, in which his grandfather played a role. Starting with the old saying “it’s the Trotskys who make the revolutions, and the Bronsteins who pay the price,” and knowing that his own family did both, through interviews, research and first-hand observations, investigates why there were so many Jewish revolutionaries (“Trotskys”), what price all of the Russian-Empire Jews (“Bronsteins”) paid, and where that leaves us as a people today.
Watch Boris’s promotional video:
Boris Kievsky was born in Cherkassy, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and came to the United States at the age of six. An award-winning writer and director, he earned BFA and Post-Graduate degrees in theatre before moving to New York, where he performed in, as well as produced and directed several theatrical productions. Upon moving to Los Angeles, Boris made the switch to film and television. As an actor, Boris has appeared on numerous TV shows and all levels of film from shorts to studio releases, often playing some variation of a Russian mobster, much to his Jewish mother’s dismay.
Program is free to JGSLA members – $5 for guests. The JGSLA traveling library will be available at 7PM. Please note: Assistive listening devices are available free of charge with advance notice! If you want to arrange for one, please contact pweisberger@hotmail.com by January 6th.