Re: Constellations are not just in the hands of constellators
- From: Soni Stecker <literal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 14:58:46 +1100
Dear Alison and all,
Alison wrote:
But constellations are not just in the hands of the
constellators, they are a natural phenomenon which we
have been taught to recognize and work with and other forces can also
enact them even on a grand stage.<<
I would like to take this opportunity to share with you all a film
that impressed me as embodying constellation work in art form.
Recently ABC1 TV Australia showed a documentary, 'Bloodlines', by
Australian film maker Cynthia Connop, featuring descendants of
Holocaust victims and perpetrators facing each other and the trauma
they carry for their ancestors, and attempting reconciliation.
http://www.bloodlinesfilm.com/
The film chronicles the meeting of Bettina Goering, grand-niece of
Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering, with Ruth Rich, daughter of
Holocaust survivors. I see it relating to two recent strands of
conversation on Constellation Talk ('Country First' and 'Global
Transformation is at Hand').
'A moving meditation on guilt and reconciliation, this film explores
the unwritten cost of war and genocide on future generations of
both victims and perpetrators. Bettina Goering, descendent of Nazi
war criminal Herman Goering, comes to Australia to meet Ruth Rich,
artist and the daughter of Holocaust survivors. With astonishing
honesty and courage, both women attempt to reconcile the traumas in
their bloodlines.' (program blurb)
I was deeply touched by the honesty both Ruth and Bettina displayed
in front of the camera. Themes from my own family history, a great-
uncle who published Nazi propaganda, resonated. Being part of the
same German post-war generation as Bettina, also living abroad, I
have felt the same reluctance to embrace my German heritage that many
of our generation have felt and which has driven them away from
Germany. Ulrike Danks, Max Dauskard and others have written
eloquently about this.
In her blog documentary maker Cynthia Connop writes: 'I was pleased
to see that the resonance of the film included both facing the
genocide of the Holocaust and healing any traumas carried down
through generations. I believe 'Bloodlines' shows that facing the
past can heal the present and lead to a different future.'
The film will screen at several film festivals and is available on
DVD (
http://www.enhancetv.com.au). A good summary appears in this
article:
http://www.ajn.com.au/news/news.asp?pgID=6292
I believe her film is an excellent example of works emerging in
contemporary art, culture and public life that resonate with
constellation work. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out that one
or more of the collaborators on the film are familiar with
constellation work. Also popular with Australian TV audiences is the
BBC's series 'Who do you think you are?' which explores celebrities'
family tree and ancestral history (and quite a few emotional responses).
Many may remember the excitement running through Constellation Talk
when in 2006 the newly elected Bolivian president, Evo Morales,
honoured the ancestors in his inauguration ceremony. There are many
projects in public life and the arts that endeavour to heal the
wounds of the past, and I am heartened to see that a wide range of
people participate in these attempts.
Best wishes for your German project, Alison and Dan.
Soni
---------------------------
Soni Stecker
Brown Hill, Australia
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