Name: SHTTL: 24 hours before the Nazi invasion
Start: 2026-05-22T20:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-05-22T22:30:00+02:00
Location: Lichtwerk

An evening that brings history, language, and loss to the screen with great intensity

SHTTL: 24 hours before the Nazi invasion immerses the audience in a Jewish-Ukrainian world on the eve of its annihilation. The cinema with guests at Lichtwerk combines film art with conversation culture and creates an evening that not only informs but resonates. The focus is on a Yiddish-speaking shtetl on the border between Ukraine and Poland, told in a single, uninterrupted cinematic movement.

A shtetl in the last light before the collapse

The film depicts the residents of a village marked by love, conflict, and everyday intimacy, as the historical catastrophe looms in the background. A young filmmaker returns from Kyiv, wants to flee with his great love, and thereby disrupts the fragile balance of the community. It is precisely this intertwining of personal desire and collective threat that makes the evening’s cinematic experience so compelling.

Direction between cinematic rigor and emotional power

The direction emphasizes condensation: a single, continuous shot, supported by precise dramaturgy, recalls the immediacy of a great stage action. The Yiddish as the original language with English subtitles gives the evening a special cultural authority and lets the linguistic world of the shtetl shine in its uniqueness. The audience experiences not just a screening but a theatrical atmosphere in the darkness of the cinema hall, where image, sound, and historical memory intertwine.

Conversation, context, and scholarly depth

After the screening, there will be a discussion with Ukrainian historian of Jewish studies Prof. Vladyslava Moskalets from the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. The conversation will be moderated by Prof. Kornelia Konczal from the University of Bielefeld. This gives the evening an additional layer: artistic representation meets historical expertise, and the film evening becomes a cultural resonance space for questions about memory, identity, and responsibility.

Lichtwerk as a strong venue for this cinema with guests

Lichtwerk in Ravensberger Park is a fitting location for this screening as an arthouse cinema. The hall in the old carpenter's shop, the tranquil location in Ravensberger Park, and the demanding program of the house shape the atmosphere. Here, sophisticated film art meets scholarly context and an attentive audience. It is precisely from this mix that the special tension of the evening arises.

Conclusion

SHTTL: 24 hours before the Nazi invasion promises an evocative evening of film art, historical depth, and conversation. Those seeking intense material, insightful context, and a concentrated cinema experience should experience this performance live at Lichtwerk.