Events

September 03, 2014, 6:00 PM

On September 3, at 6 pm, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will launch the Mutual Inspirations Festival 2014–Franz Kafka with a special exhibition KAFKA & CO. by Czech cartoonist Jiří Slíva. The exhibition features humorous drawings, lithographs, and etchings inspired by Kafka and others. Slíva has been featured in over 150 publications including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. His work concentrates mainly on cartoon and illustration. Slíva is one of the believers that “Kafka had fun for us,” exemplified through Kafka’s realism, humor, and irony. Delve into the humor of Kafka and this award-winning artist at the Embassy of the Czech Republic.

September 09, 2014, 6:30 PM

On September 9, at 6:30 pm, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will present Kafka’s riveting short story A Report to an Academy brought to life in a stunning adaptation by Drew Valins. Kafka wrote this tale in 1917; however, its themes of lost identity and marred freedom will grip any modern audience today. In this tale, Red Peter details his transformation from ape to human from the horrors of being snatched into captivity and held within a confining cage to the realization that he must become something he is not in order to obtain something like freedom.

September 10, 2014, 8:00 PM

On September 10, at 8 pm, the Alliance for New Music-Theatre will open Kafka’s most influential and popular work – Metamorphosis – to bring to the stage both the darkness and the humor of Kafka as the quintessential Outsider’s Outsider at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. In Kafka’s seminal story, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect. Kafka’s works surpassed all literary conventions and social boundaries, tapping into a universal expression of modern man’s alienation and angst. Metamorphosis, directed by Susan Galbraith, who has further adapted Steven Berkoff’s dramatization into a music-theatre vehicle features original music and projected animations to enrich the performance. Share in the opening night of this monumental masterpiece. The show runs until September 21.
Photo Courtesy: Janet Antich

September 11, 2014, 8:00 PM

On September 11, at 8 pm, the Alliance for New Music-Theatre will perform Kafka’s most influential and popular work – Metamorphosis – to bring to the stage both the darkness and the humor of Kafka as the quintessential Outsider’s Outsider at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. In Kafka’s seminal story, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect. Kafka’s works surpassed all literary conventions and social boundaries, tapping into a universal expression of modern man’s alienation and angst. Metamorphosis, directed by Susan Galbraith, who has further adapted Steven Berkoff’s dramatization into a music-theatre vehicle features original music and projected animations to enrich the performance. The show runs until September 21.
Photo credit: Hilsdon Photography LLC

September 12, 2014, 8:00 PM

On September 12, at 8 pm, the Alliance for New Music-Theatre will perform Kafka’s most influential and popular work – Metamorphosis – to bring to the stage both the darkness and the humor of Kafka as the quintessential Outsider’s Outsider at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. In Kafka’s seminal story, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect. Kafka’s works surpassed all literary conventions and social boundaries, tapping into a universal expression of modern man’s alienation and angst. Metamorphosis, directed by Susan Galbraith, who has further adapted Steven Berkoff’s dramatization into a music-theatre vehicle features original music and projected animations to enrich the performance. The show runs until September 21.
Photo credit: Hilsdon Photography LLC

September 13, 2014, 8:00 PM

On September 13, at 8 pm, the Alliance for New Music-Theatre will perform Kafka’s most influential and popular work – Metamorphosis – to bring to the stage both the darkness and the humor of Kafka as the quintessential Outsider’s Outsider at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. In Kafka’s seminal story, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect. Kafka’s works surpassed all literary conventions and social boundaries, tapping into a universal expression of modern man’s alienation and angst. Metamorphosis, directed by Susan Galbraith, who has further adapted Steven Berkoff’s dramatization into a music-theatre vehicle features original music and projected animations to enrich the performance. The show runs until September 21.
Photo credit: Hilsdon Photography LLC

September 14, 2014, 3:00 PM

On September 14, at 3 pm, the Alliance for New Music-Theatre will perform Kafka’s most influential and popular work – Metamorphosis – to bring to the stage both the darkness and the humor of Kafka as the quintessential Outsider’s Outsider at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. In Kafka’s seminal story, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect. Kafka’s works surpassed all literary conventions and social boundaries, tapping into a universal expression of modern man’s alienation and angst. Metamorphosis, directed by Susan Galbraith, who has further adapted Steven Berkoff’s dramatization into a music-theatre vehicle features original music and projected animations to enrich the performance. The show runs until September 21. 

September 17, 2014, 1:00 PM

On September 17, at 1 pm, the Library of Congress will kick off the Docs in Salute series with The Trials from the documentary trilogy Between a Star and a Crescent by director Petr Bok. The Trials reveals that the Jews of Czechoslovakia were victims not only of the tragedy of the Holocaust but also of the subsequent communist tyranny. The initial Soviet strategy following the Second World War was to attract the newly-created state of Israel under its wings which was demonstrated, among other activities, by a steady stream of military equipment provided by Czechoslovakia. However, it soon became apparent that Israel would not join the communist camp and the Bolsheviks responded with a new wave of anti-Semitism. Few could feel assured of their fate in an era of hysteria and power-driven purges that left some of the highest-ranking party members dead. Explore the Docs and Salute series focused on Jewish themes at the Library of Congress.

September 17, 2014, 6:00 PM

On September 17, at 6 pm, Martin Šmok will present the lecture Czech Jews under Communists, 1945-1989 at the Embassy of the Czech Republic. The mention of Jewish presence in Communist Czechoslovakia often evokes the image of a broken Rudolf Slánský, the former general secretary of the Communist Party, and his fellow defendants sentenced to death during the 1952 show trial. It was only after being tortured that Slánský was willing to accept on record that he was “of Jewish origin” - but the racist label invented by the Soviet architects of the show trial stuck and the Communist Slánský became a symbol of the Communist oppression of the Jews. Using unique documents, photographs and filmed interview excerpts, the lecture will explore some aspects of postwar history of the Jewish Community of Prague, as presented by the groundbreaking permanent exhibition installed in the Jubilee synagogue.

September 17, 2014, 8:00 PM

On September 17, at 8 pm, the Alliance for New Music-Theatre will perform Kafka’s most influential and popular work – Metamorphosis – to bring to the stage both the darkness and the humor of Kafka as the quintessential Outsider’s Outsider at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. In Kafka’s seminal story, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect. Kafka’s works surpassed all literary conventions and social boundaries, tapping into a universal expression of modern man’s alienation and angst. Metamorphosis, directed by Susan Galbraith, who has further adapted Steven Berkoff’s dramatization into a music-theatre vehicle features original music and projected animations to enrich the performance.

September 18, 2014, 6:30 PM

On September 18, at 6:30 pm, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will feature pianist Lara Downes in the concert Amerika: Expression and Exile, which includes the reading of Nine Parables to Franz Kafka's "Amerika" written by Andre Singer. The concert features Bohuslav Martinů’s Etudes and Polkas,  Erwin Schulhoff’s Suite dansante en jazz, and Erich Wolfgang Korngoldamong's Sonata No. 2 in E major, Op. 2. Indulge in a memorable evening of music at the Czech Embassy. 
Photo credit: www.laradownes.com   

September 18, 2014, 8:00 PM

On September 18, at 8 pm, the Alliance for New Music-Theatre will perform Kafka’s most influential and popular work – Metamorphosis – to bring to the stage both the darkness and the humor of Kafka as the quintessential Outsider’s Outsider at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. In Kafka’s seminal story, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect. Kafka’s works surpassed all literary conventions and social boundaries, tapping into a universal expression of modern man’s alienation and angst. Metamorphosis, directed by Susan Galbraith, who has further adapted Steven Berkoff’s dramatization into a music-theatre vehicle features original music and projected animations to enrich the performance.
Photo credit: Hilsdon Photography LLC.

September 19, 2014, 8:00 PM

On September 19, at 8 pm, the Alliance for New Music-Theatre will perform Kafka’s most influential and popular work – Metamorphosis – to bring to the stage both the darkness and the humor of Kafka as the quintessential Outsider’s Outsider at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. In Kafka’s seminal story, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect. Kafka’s works surpassed all literary conventions and social boundaries, tapping into a universal expression of modern man’s alienation and angst. Metamorphosis, directed by Susan Galbraith, who has further adapted Steven Berkoff’s dramatization into a music-theatre vehicle features original music and projected animations to enrich the performance. The show runs until September 21.

September 20, 2014, 8:00 PM

On September 20, at 8 pm, the Alliance for New Music-Theatre will perform Kafka’s most influential and popular work – Metamorphosis – to bring to the stage both the darkness and the humor of Kafka as the quintessential Outsider’s Outsider at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. In Kafka’s seminal story, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect. Kafka’s works surpassed all literary conventions and social boundaries, tapping into a universal expression of modern man’s alienation and angst. Metamorphosis, directed by Susan Galbraith, who has further adapted Steven Berkoff’s dramatization into a music-theatre vehicle features original music and projected animations to enrich the performance.
Photo credit: Hilsdon Photography LLC

September 21, 2014, 3:00 PM

On September 21, at 3 pm, the Alliance for New Music-Theatre will perform Kafka’s most influential and popular work – Metamorphosis – to bring to the stage both the darkness and the humor of Kafka as the quintessential Outsider’s Outsider at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. In Kafka’s seminal story, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect. Kafka’s works surpassed all literary conventions and social boundaries, tapping into a universal expression of modern man’s alienation and angst. Metamorphosis, directed by Susan Galbraith, who has further adapted Steven Berkoff’s dramatization into a music-theatre vehicle features original music and projected animations to enrich the performance.
Photo credit: Hilsdon Photography LLC

October 01, 2014, 1:00 PM

On October 1, at 1 pm, the Library of Congress will screen Father of Refugees in the Pickford Theatre as part of the Docs in Salute series focused on Jewish themes. The documentary centers on the mysterious death of Charles Jordan. A refugee expert and vice-president of the American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), Charles Jordan wanted to change the very core of the conflict in the Middle East. Jordan was about to present a proposal to the U.N. concerning the resettling of Palestinian refugees following the Israel-Arab Six Day War. In the summer of 1967, his body was fished out of the Vltavar River. Filmmaker Martin Šmok presents the theory that the Czech secret service (StB) was involved in his murder. The case has become one of the great murder-conspiracy theories in modern Czech history. (Petr Bok & Martin Šmok, 2003, 58 min., in English)

October 08, 2014, 8:00 PM

On October 8, at 8 pm, the Avalon Theatre will showcase director David Ondříček’s highly acclaimed film In the Shadow (Ve stínu). In this mystery, Captain Hakl (Ivan Trojan), a Czech police detective, searches for truth as he tries to solve a robbery and blood libel that soon morphs into a police conspiracy. He very quickly gets kicked off the case as State Security takes over. What he finds in Stalinist Czechoslovakia, however, seems to only create more questions than it solves. In the Shadow was submitted to the Academy Awards as the Czech entry for 2012 Best Foreign Language Oscar. The film won nine Czech Lion Awards (2013). Delve into this mystery that is sure to leave you guessing. (Dir. David Ondříček, 2012, 106 min., Czech with English subtitles)  
   
Photo credit: Czech Center in Prague   

October 09, 2014, 6:30 PM

On October 9, at 6:30 pm, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will screen director Vladimír Michálek’s debut film Amerika, based on Kafka’s unfinished novel of the same name. Kafka originally titled the book The Man Who Disappeared. Having never travelled to America, Kafka read all that he could about the country as well as the letters of his two uncles who had emigrated there. The story centers on the wanderings of 16-year-old Karel Rossman, who was forced to travel to New York to escape the scandal of his seduction by a maid who becomes pregnant. Explore a view of Kafka’s work on film in this timeless tale. (DIR: Vladimír Michálek , 1994, 90 minutes, in Czech with English subtitles)    

Photo credit: www.film.gildia.pl/filmy/amerika    

October 18, 2014, 5:00 PM

On October 18, at 5 pm, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will screen director Pavel Jandourek’s film Maharal – Secret of the Talisman (Maharal  - Tajemství talismanu). The film follows three kids from Prague (Alena, David and Ondra) and charismatic treasure hunter Aaron Cohen who venture to the most mysterious places of old Prague, including the ruins of an old water castle and the domains of wondrous entities from days gone by, in search of a mysterious talisman, the fabled Golem, and the legendary Philosopher’s Stone. The Maharal, also known as Rabbi Loew, is a Jewish scholar from Prague who is at the center of the legend of the Golem of Prague. The Golem was a mystical creature made from clay that protected the Jews of the Prague ghetto from anti-Semitic attacks. Venture into the world of mysticism and wonder through this adventurous film. (DIR: Pavel Jandourek, 2007, 100 min., Czech with English subtitles)

Photo credit: Czech Television

October 21, 2014, 7:00 PM

On October 21, at 7 pm, Bistro Bohem will screen director Zeno Dostál’s Golet in the Valley (Golet v údolí). Using light humor, the film tells the story of a Jewish village in the most Eastern part of the former Czechoslovakia during the 1930s. The mystical word Golet is a place where Jews live together, outside of Israel, amongst of other ethnic groups. They live according to the old customs and rituals of their religion. When the peaceful atmosphere in their village is interrupted by the desecration of a ritual bath, the life of the village becomes out of balance. Through the film, the director and the cameraman bring to life the beauty of that time. An ensemble cast of leading stars from the Czech Republic reveal the kindness and humor of this refreshing picture. The film received a Czech Lion for cinematography and is comprised of the stories of the famous Czech writer Ivan Olbracht. Relax with a delicious Pilsner brew as you enjoy this film as part of the Film and Beer series. (DIR: Zeno Dostál, 1995, 90 min., Czech with English subtitles).    

Photo credit: Czech Center in Prague

October 23, 2014, 6:30 PM

On October 23, at 6:30 pm, Czech Cultural Attaché Robert Řehák will give the lecture Kafka’s Magic Prague at the Embassy of the Czech Republic. Prague is a magical city with a vibrant history spanning more than one thousand years of coexistence among Czechs, Germans, and Jews. Through his lecture, Řehák will explore this majestic city through its many legends, including Rabbi Loew’s (also known as the Maharal) story of the Prague Golem, a creature made out of clay that protected the Prague Jews from anti-Semitic attacks (pogroms). Řehák will delve into the origins of the city and Emperor Charles IV. The stories paint a backdrop into the unique history that created a base for Franz Kafka´s writings. Savor these legends that unfold deeper meanings in the heart of Europe.

Photo credit: Robert Řehák

October 26, 2014, 6:30 PM

On October 26, at 6:30 pm, violin virtuoso Alexander Shonert will perform the concert Overlapping Worlds at the National Gallery of Art in an intimate program dedicated to Franz Kafka. The concert features Czech and Jewish music that has resonated throughout Prague for centuries. Shonert’s brilliant virtuosity, the intensity of his feeling and the striking originality of his interpretative style, combined with his enchanting improvisations, has won him the critics' acclaim. Experience an enchanting afternoon at the Gallery embracing music that has touched the soul for centuries.     

Photo credit: www.shonert.com   

October 29, 2014, 1:00 PM

On October 29, at 1 pm, Georgetown University students and alumi present Glimpses of Kafka’s Fiction and Memoirs for the Stage, directed by Georgetown faculty in Theater and Performance Studies, in the Pickford Theater of the Library of Congress. As part of the Docs in Salute Series focused on Jewish themes, the one-hour program will include monologue adaptations from Metamorphosis, selections from Kafka’s most famous work and letters, as well as a short film on the legendary writer.

Photo courtesy: Franz Kafka Museum in Prague

October 30, 2014, 6:00 PM

On October 30, at 6 pm, Czech illustrator and musician Jaromír Švejdík, popularly known as Jaromír 99, will give a lecture on Kafka and comics at the Embassy of the Czech Republic. In 2012, Jaromír accepted an offer from the British publishing company SelfMadeHero, to make Franz Kafka’s novel The Castle into a comic. Publishersweekly.com described the work as a “powerful interpretation of Kafka’s timeless themes.” For this adaptation, he and co-creator David Zane Mairowitz received a nomination from San Diego’s Will Eisner Awards 2014, for Best Adaptation from Another Medium. Savor an evening with the talented artist as he brings Kafka's work to life.

October 30, 2014, 7:00 PM

On October 30, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will wrap up the festival with an evening of comics and live music, featuring the Czech band Jaromír 99. Jaromír Švejdík (popularly known as Jaromír 99), is a Czech singer, songwriter, guitarist and artist. Besides being a musician, Jaromír is also an accomplished graphic artist. In 2012, Jaromír accepted an offer from the British publishing company SelfMadeHero, to make Franz Kafka’s novel The Castle into a comic. Publishersweekly.com described the work as a “powerful interpretation of Kafka’s timeless themes.” The evening begins at 6 pm, with a lecture on Kafka and Comics, followed by a concert starting at 7 pm, with the three-member band at the Embassy of the Czech Republic. Dress in Kafka style (1920s or something a little absurd) and unwind with the tunes of Jaromír 99.

November 08, 2014, 6:30 PM

On November 8, the Katzen Arts Center at American University, in collaboration with the Shoah Memorial Prague, will open the exhibition Eugenic Minds comprised of a documentary by Pavel Štingl, animations and paintings by Xenie Hoffmeisterová, and literary artwork by Patrik Ouředník. The exhibition offers a timeless meditation upon the abuse of the human pinnacles of science and education. Secondly, it addresses the question of academic careerism, which under totalitarian regimes reaches self-destructive proportions. The moving documentary, animations, and artwork delve into the definition of science and the situations when learning becomes a pseudo-science. The exhibition also uses historical sources regarding the dominant theme of the first half of the 20th century, centered on the Nazi era. Nazism here is not only an inexhaustible fount of drama from the time when the value of human being or not-being was seriously deformed, but it also provides examples of propaganda capable of visualizing a subject in an unprecedented manner. The project is coordinated by the Shoah Memorial Prague that is preparing the launch of the Holocaust Memorial in the Czech Republic. The exhibition Eugenic Minds is the first presentation of the young NGO abroad. View this unforgettable exhibition that brings new perspectives on humanity.    

Photo credit: Xenie Hoffmeisterová   

November 11, 2014, 5:00 PM

On November 11, from 5-7 pm, American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center will present the Shoah Memorial Prague with introductory remarks by Madeleine Albright, Member of the Honorary Board of the Shoah Memorial Prague and former U.S. Secretary of State. The presentation will be followed by the Gallery Talk: Eugenic Minds with documentary filmmaker Pavel Štingl and artist Xenie Hoffmeisterová.

November 12, 2014, 12:00 PM

The Library of Congress presents Eugenic Minds by filmmaker Pavel Štingl. The documentary walks viewers through the history of eugenics – the study of methods of improving the quality ofthe human race,  especially by selective breeding.  Others  define  it  as  the  temptation  to  take  the  fate  of humankind out of the hands of nature and, literally, shape the future. The desire to control the dynamics of human evolution is not a new idea. The film is an exploration of the abuse of science, showing no mercy, evenwhen at the cost of human lives. Štingl uses source material and archival footage combined with the unique useof animation. The talented graphic artist, Xenie Hoffmeisterová, was only one of the animators contributing tothis film. Štingl will answer questions following the screening.