Three Minutes: A Lengthening

In "Three Minutes: A Lengthening", Polish director Maiwenn crafts a poignant and thought-provoking film that serves as a nostalgic and unsettling tribute to the vanished lives of Nasielsk's Jewish community. Based on the true story of filmmaker David Kurtz's 1938 home movie, which captured the daily life and rituals of this small Polish town just before the onset of the Holocaust, "Three Minutes" delves into the intricacies of community, identity, and the devastating effects of historical trauma. The story begins with David Kurtz, a Jewish filmmaker who, in 1938, captures three minutes of footage showcasing the vibrant lives of Nasielsk's inhabitants. This brief yet captivating snippet serves as a time capsule, revealing a community in all its richness and diversity, replete with lively debates, spirited celebrations, and a deep sense of solidarity. We witness the residents of Nasielsk engaging in everyday activities, their interactions infused with a palpable sense of warmth and camaraderie. As the film progresses, Kurtz's footage becomes a window into the world of Nasielsk's Jewish community, where the boundaries between secular and religious life are blurred. We meet a cast of characters, each with their unique personalities and storylines, yet all bound together by their shared experience of living in this small Polish town. There's the charismatic Rabbi, whose impassioned sermons serve as a source of inspiration and comfort; the lively market square, where traders haggle over goods and residents gather to socialize; and the town's schools, where children learn the language, culture, and traditions of their ancestors. Against the backdrop of these ordinary lives, "Three Minutes" begins to weave a narrative of foreboding and anxiety. The filmmaker subtly alludes to the rising nationalist and anti-Semitic sentiments within Poland, hinting at the darker forces that will soon engulf the community. As the Jewish residents of Nasielsk continue to live their daily lives, oblivious to the horrors that lie ahead, the filmmaker's camera captures their naivety, their resilience, and their unwavering commitment to their faith and culture. Through Kurtz's home movie, "Three Minutes" humanizes the victims of the Holocaust, stripping away the abstraction and anonymity that often accompanies historical events. The film presents a multifaceted portrait of Nasielsk's Jewish community, one that defies the stereotype of a monolithic, helpless, or resigned people. These are individuals with hopes and fears, dreams and despairs, who are struggling to make sense of a rapidly changing world. One of the most striking aspects of "Three Minutes" is its non-linear narrative structure. By interweaving present-day footage with the old home movie, the film creates a sense of fragmentation and dislocation. This narrative device serves to underscore the idea that the past and present are inextricably linked, that the events of 1938 continue to resonate in the lives of those who were left behind. Through this bold stylistic choice, "Three Minutes" raises fundamental questions about the nature of memory, history, and the human experience. The film asks us to bear witness to the lives of Nasielsk's Jewish community, to confront the trauma and suffering that they endured, and to grapple with the responsibilities that come with remembering and forgetting. In doing so, "Three Minutes" becomes an homage to the resilience of the human spirit, a testament to the capacity for love, kindness, and hope in the face of unimaginable adversity. Ultimately, "Three Minutes: A Lengthening" is a film that defies easy resolution or closure. It presents a portrait of a community that was brutally erased, leaving behind only fragments of their lives and experiences. In this sense, the film becomes an act of witnessing, a gesture of solidarity with those who were lost, and a testament to the power of memory to preserve the stories of those who were silenced by history. As we watch the last remaining images of Nasielsk's Jewish community, we are forced to confront the darkness that lies at the heart of human nature, and to reflect on the importance of preserving the memories of those who were victims of the Holocaust.