回忆立陶宛之旅

Reminiscences of a Journey to Lithuania is a film created by Jonas Mekas, an American filmmaker, in 1972. The film is a personal reflection on Mekas' life and his journey to Lithuania. It is divided into three parts.The first part of the film consists of footage that Mekas shot with his first Bolex camera when he first arrived in America, particularly during the years 1950 to 1953. It captures images of his life, as well as that of his brother Adolfas and the people they knew at the time. The footage includes scenes of immigrants in Brooklyn, having picnics, dancing, and singing. It also showcases the streets of Williamsburg.The second part of the film was shot in August 1971 in Lithuania, mostly in Seminiskiai, Mekas' hometown. It shows the old house, his mother (born in 1887), and his brothers celebrating their return. The footage also captures familiar places, life in the countryside, and other insignificant details. It is not a depiction of present-day Lithuania but rather the memories of a"displaced person" returning home for the first time in twenty-five years.The third part of the film begins with a parenthesis on Elmshorn, a suburb of Hamburg, where Mekas and his brother were forced to work in a labor camp during the war. After closing the parenthesis, the film takes us to Vienna, where Mekas reunites with some of his closest friends, including Peter Kubelka, Hermann Nitsch, Annette Michelson, and Ken Jacobs. The film concludes with the footage of the fruit market fire in Vienna in August 1971.Throughout the film, Mekas speaks about himself as a"displaced person" and reflects on his relationship with home, memory, culture, roots, and childhood. There are also several Lithuanian songs sung by all the Mekas brothers.Mekas did not choose exile; circumstances forced him into it. As he explains, there are two types of travelers: those who leave their comfort zone to explore the world in search of fortune or simply to see what else is out there, and those who are uprooted and forcibly separated from their country, condemned to dwell in the endless nostalgia and mourning. Reminiscences of a Journey to Lithuania is a testament to the latter.