Polanie in Slask costums

Northwest Folklife Festival this year features two local Polish folk groups from Seattle, both on Monday. The Young Polanie Youth Group is scheduled to dance at 11:45 and the Polish Choir Vivat Musica will sing at 11:30.

Where: at Northwest Folklife Festival at the Seattle Center, admission free

More: for the Choir contact Barbara Niesulowski, for Young Polanie contact Barbara Strutynski

Marek Wencel

Timothy Snyder

UW Polish Studies Endowment Committee invites everybody to a lecture Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin by Prof. Timothy Snyder. His bestseller book of the same title is a comprehensive overview of bloodletting suffered by different Central and East European nationalities in 1930s and 1940s from the Hitler and Stalin regimes. Dr. Snyder is a Professor of History at Yale specializing in political history of Central and Eastern Europe; the Editor found this book really interesting: Reconstruction of Nations: Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, 1569-1999 (2003).

Where: Kane Hall #120 at the University of Washington campus in Seatle; admission free; Also: the Polish Book Club discusses this book at its April meeting

More: about the book, Prof. Snyder bio, UW PSEC

The Seattle International Film Festival presents the best movie of the 2011 Warsaw Film Festival Rose / Róża, directed by Wojciech Smarzowski. The film is a story set right after WWII ended in 1945 in a newly Polish East Prussia, where a former resistance fighter trying to find a new life meets a Polish widow of a German soldier. Sponsored by the Consulate General of Poland in Los Angeles.

Where: screened at Egyptian Theatre on May 20 at 1:30 pm, at SIFF Cinema Uptown on May 22 at 9 pm and on May 25 at 8:30 pm.

More: Rose at SIFF, the movie

The Seattle International Film Festival presents movie Daas written and directed by Adrian Panek and starring Andrzej Chyra. The film tells the story of Jacob Frank, the 18th c. Polish mystic who believed he was the Messiah. The movie is a debut for Mr. Panek, but has already won awards in Poland. Sponsored by the Consulate General of Poland in Los Angeles.

Where: Daas is screened at Egyptian Theatre on May 18 at 4 pm, at SIFF Cinema Uptown on May 20 at 6:30 pm and at Harvard Exit on June 2 at 3 pm

More: Daas at SIFF, about the movie

The book for the meeting is Mój Znak. O noblistach, kabaretach, przyjazniach, ksiazkach, kobietach by Jerzy Illg published by Wyd. Znak in 2012. Mr. Illg has been the editor-in-chief at the Znak publishign house for the last 20 years, and his memoirs tell the story of his friendship with many renown authors and artists as well as his many talents that included cabaret and film productions.

Where: at the Green Lake Public Library in Seattle; admission free; in Polish

More: Polish Book Club

The Georgetown Arts and Cultural Center presents a painting exhibition by Kasia Pawluskiewicz. Ms. Pawluskiewicz is a local artist, writer, adventurer and free spirit. Opening reception is on May 12, 2012 during the Georgetown Art Walk from 6 to 11 pm.

Where: at the Georgetown Arts and Cultural Center, Seattle; admission free. The exhibition is open from Tue to Fri, 3 pm - 7 pm

More: Kasia Pawluskiewicz website, checkout her Alaskan Seafood Cookbook on the site

Polish Home Association invites everybody to the 3rd of May celebration marking the anniversary of the first Polish constitution, which was enacted in 1791. The program includes 1) performance by the Polish scouts and students of the Polish school, 2) piano performance: Marzena Szlaga and her best piano students Ewa Dzieciatkowska and Malgosia Radka will play nocturnes by F. Chopin. The restaurant at the Polish Home is open from 12 pm to 4 pm.

Where: at the Polish Cultural Center Dom Polski; admission free; in Polish

More: about the Constitution, Constitution source

Juliette Binoche

The Landmark Varsity Theatre presents Elle directed by Malgoska Szumowska and starring Juliette Binoche. Ms. Szumowska is an award winning Polish director who won international recognition with her movie 33 Scenes From Life. The movie is a complex portrait of contemporary women and their sexuality.  Academy award winner Juliette Binoche is known from several Kieslowski movies.

Where: the Landmark Varsity Theatre in Seattle, please check with the theatre before you go

More: about Elles, Malgorzata Szumowska bio

All you can eat!

Polonez in action

This yearly festival supplies a great mixture of Polish food and culture. Food-wise, the main magnet is the All-You-Can-Pierogi event, which is a Polish dumplings extravaganza that serves several kinds of pierogi: meat, potato & cheese, sauerkraut & mushrooms, blueberries, plum etc. New this year, four food booths with other favorites from potato pancakes to bigos (hunter's stew).  Free attractions include: folk group performances, craft workshops (make your own pierogi!, or a pickle soup), movies & children activities. You can eat leisurely, listen to Polish music and have a good time. Also available: beer, wine as well as coffee, soft drinks and homemade desserts. On sale: Polish cutout art, Polish folk costumes, Boleslawiec pottery, Polish sports scarves.

Performance schedule:

          11:30  Accordion Player David Locke, Seattle

          12:00  Polish folk song and dance medley

                           Polish Choir Vivat Musica and Young Polanie Youth Group, Seattle

            1:00  Polonez Dance Group, Vancouver, BC, Lowicz suite

            1:30  White Eagle Band, Victoria, BC, folk song medley #1

            2:00  Polish Choir Vivat Musica, Seattle, Biesiada favorites

            2:30  Polonez Dance Group, Vancouver, BC, Lubelski suite

            3:00  White Eagle Band, Victoria, BC, folk song medley #2

            3:30  Polonez Dance Group, Vancouver, BC, Krakowski suite

Volunteers needed to run the event! Please help making this a fantastic event

Where: at the Polish Cultural Center - All You Can Eat event at the lower hall; tickets $16 regular, $8 children up to 11; tots up to 3 years old free; other food at different prices, all entertainment and additional programs upstairs free

More: 2012 Pierogi Fest program, 2012 volunteer opportunities

This event that is a part of the Pierogi Fest features usually a lot of new and second-hand books and albums in Polish, bi-lingual or in English on Polish topics as well as Polish CDs and DVDs - most at very affordable prices!

Where: at the Polish Cultural Center / Polish Home upper hall; admission free

More: Polish Home asks for donations of books, CDs and DVDs for the sale. Please bring them to the PH on Friday night and leave them at the gate or call Martha Golubiec (206) 935-7535.