ThoughtGallery.org > Giorno della Memoria: Screening of Pentcho by Stefano Cattini and More

Giorno della Memoria: Screening of Pentcho by Stefano Cattini and More

INTERNATIONAL REMEMBRANCE DAY

Film screening of Pentcho (2014) and discussion with the director Stefano Cattini.

About the film

Between the years 1932 and 1939, illegal immigration to Palestine grew in response of the increasingly oppressive measures against German and Eastern European Jewry, the restrictions imposed by the British Government through the Jewish Agency and, eventually, the outbreak of the war.

One of the main groups organizing illegal ships was the Betar, Ze’ev’s Jabotisnky’s Revisionist Zionist movement that functioned through loosely interconnected units throughout Europe. Betar openly opposed the Zionist Organization’s and the Jewish Agency’s views on immigration and tended to attract among its leaders independent individuals, with a streak for adventure and improvisation as well as inclination to challenge international impositions. Over a dozen ships were organized by Betar members and reached either Palestine or were derailed to Cyprus by the British authorities. However, many more Betar groups did not manage to leave.

Among those who remained ashore because of the war, was a group from Bratislava organized by Yehoshua Citron. In May 1940, after five months of waiting, Citron managed to sail on a refurbished ship, the Pentcho, with about 500 passengers, including 100 former Buchenwald’s internees. Like most ships rented for this purpose, the Pentcho was old, malfunctioning and had undergone insufficient repairs.

The descent on the Danube was delayed by new requirements of the Rumanian and Bulgarian authorities, difficulties in collecting provisions and the poor state of the vessel. Citron’s ongoing conflicts with the leaders of Betar and of the other two Zionist organizations made it even more difficult to manage logistic problems. In October 1940, the Pentcho shipwrecked near the island of Rhodes. After a few days ashore, the Italian authorities brought all passengers to a camp in Rhodes. Due to the difficult conditions on the island, lack of food and accommodations, in March 1942, the passengers of the Pentcho were transferred to the concentration camp of Ferramonti in Calabria.

After the Allies’ landing in Sicily, on July 10th, 1943, the Fascist government ordered the evacuation of the camp and the deportation of all prisoners to a transit camp in Bolzano. Mussolini’s deposition on July 25th nullified the order and the Jews in Ferramonti camp were liberated, a few weeks before the deportation from the peninsula began, and 18 month before the end of the war.

Drawing on testimonies and memories, this film narrates the struggles of the Pentcho and its passengers before arriving in mandate Palestine almost six years after its departure.

About the author

Stefano Cattini, has been a member of the European Film Academy since 2010. He is the author of several documentaries focusing on personal stories. His film L’isola dei Sordobimbi was selected for the David di Donatello in 2010. He has directed several award-winning short documentaries including Ivan e Loriana, Amen and L’orablu. The Children of the Pentcho received special mention of the jury at the Festival dei Popoli in Firenze.

BOOK HERE 

The Commemoration continues with the following events:

January, 28 from 9:00 a.m to 3:30 p.m: Reading of the names of the Jews deported from Italy and the Italian territories.

Location: Consulate General of Italy

January, 29 from 6:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m: Film screening and discussion of 1938 – Diversi (2018) with Giorgio Treves (filmmaker), Ernest Ialongo (Hostos Community College, CUNY) and Nina Valbousquet (Fordham University).

Location: Calandra Italian American Institute at CUNY

January, 31 from 6:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m: Film screening and discussion of Redemption Blues (2017) with Peter Stastny and Paola Mieli (Après-coup Psychoanalytic Association).

Location: Casa Italiana Zerilli Marimò











When: Thu., Jan. 24, 2019 at 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Where: Italian Cultural Institute
686 Park Ave.
212-879-4242
Price: Free
Buy tickets/get more info now
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INTERNATIONAL REMEMBRANCE DAY

Film screening of Pentcho (2014) and discussion with the director Stefano Cattini.

About the film

Between the years 1932 and 1939, illegal immigration to Palestine grew in response of the increasingly oppressive measures against German and Eastern European Jewry, the restrictions imposed by the British Government through the Jewish Agency and, eventually, the outbreak of the war.

One of the main groups organizing illegal ships was the Betar, Ze’ev’s Jabotisnky’s Revisionist Zionist movement that functioned through loosely interconnected units throughout Europe. Betar openly opposed the Zionist Organization’s and the Jewish Agency’s views on immigration and tended to attract among its leaders independent individuals, with a streak for adventure and improvisation as well as inclination to challenge international impositions. Over a dozen ships were organized by Betar members and reached either Palestine or were derailed to Cyprus by the British authorities. However, many more Betar groups did not manage to leave.

Among those who remained ashore because of the war, was a group from Bratislava organized by Yehoshua Citron. In May 1940, after five months of waiting, Citron managed to sail on a refurbished ship, the Pentcho, with about 500 passengers, including 100 former Buchenwald’s internees. Like most ships rented for this purpose, the Pentcho was old, malfunctioning and had undergone insufficient repairs.

The descent on the Danube was delayed by new requirements of the Rumanian and Bulgarian authorities, difficulties in collecting provisions and the poor state of the vessel. Citron’s ongoing conflicts with the leaders of Betar and of the other two Zionist organizations made it even more difficult to manage logistic problems. In October 1940, the Pentcho shipwrecked near the island of Rhodes. After a few days ashore, the Italian authorities brought all passengers to a camp in Rhodes. Due to the difficult conditions on the island, lack of food and accommodations, in March 1942, the passengers of the Pentcho were transferred to the concentration camp of Ferramonti in Calabria.

After the Allies’ landing in Sicily, on July 10th, 1943, the Fascist government ordered the evacuation of the camp and the deportation of all prisoners to a transit camp in Bolzano. Mussolini’s deposition on July 25th nullified the order and the Jews in Ferramonti camp were liberated, a few weeks before the deportation from the peninsula began, and 18 month before the end of the war.

Drawing on testimonies and memories, this film narrates the struggles of the Pentcho and its passengers before arriving in mandate Palestine almost six years after its departure.

About the author

Stefano Cattini, has been a member of the European Film Academy since 2010. He is the author of several documentaries focusing on personal stories. His film L’isola dei Sordobimbi was selected for the David di Donatello in 2010. He has directed several award-winning short documentaries including Ivan e Loriana, Amen and L’orablu. The Children of the Pentcho received special mention of the jury at the Festival dei Popoli in Firenze.

BOOK HERE 

The Commemoration continues with the following events:

January, 28 from 9:00 a.m to 3:30 p.m: Reading of the names of the Jews deported from Italy and the Italian territories.

Location: Consulate General of Italy

January, 29 from 6:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m: Film screening and discussion of 1938 – Diversi (2018) with Giorgio Treves (filmmaker), Ernest Ialongo (Hostos Community College, CUNY) and Nina Valbousquet (Fordham University).

Location: Calandra Italian American Institute at CUNY

January, 31 from 6:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m: Film screening and discussion of Redemption Blues (2017) with Peter Stastny and Paola Mieli (Après-coup Psychoanalytic Association).

Location: Casa Italiana Zerilli Marimò

Buy tickets/get more info now