As part of a series of special events to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day 2010, the Vale of Glamorgan Council will host the UK premiere of the film, ‘Against the Tide’.
Narrated by Dustin Hoffman and produced by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre in Los Angeles, the film tells the story of what happened in America during the Holocaust and examines the US administration and state department who used the pretext of winning the war against the Nazis to block any Jewish immigration to the US.
A public showing will take place on 28 January at 12.30pm at the Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry, and tickets will cost £2.50 per person. Rabbis Mayer May, director of the centre, and Aaron Hier, director of the campus outreach centre, will be flying in from Los Angeles to present the film to guests.
A private viewing will also take place on Holocaust Memorial Day, 27 January, followed by a screening for invited local schools.
The theme of this year’s commemorations is ‘Legacy of Hope’ and, between Saturday, 9 January and 30 January, 2010, Art Central, the council’s gallery and art space, will be the venue for a wide range of activities.
Conflict and war artist and UK 2009 Artist Mundi prize nominee Nicola Tucker will be artist in residence at the gallery, creating special Holocaust-related art. There’ll also be an exhibition of work created by Vale school pupils who have taken part in workshops with Nicola.
Entries to the annual Race Equality First inter-school children’s calendar art competition will also be on show, along with ‘Am I my brother’s keeper? Rescue in the Holocaust’, an exhibition from the Jewish Museum in London.
And there will be a chance to see Xeniya Simonova, the Ukraine’s renowned sand artist, on film creating her spectacular sand art titled ‘You are always near us’ and the wonderful animated short film, ‘The Piano’, by VFX artist Aidan Gibbons.
Cabinet member for tourism and leisure, Cllr Anthony Ernest, said: “We very much welcome the unique opportunity to premiere this major film in the UK and it gives us great pleasure to welcome leading international figures from the Simon Wiesenthal Centre to the Vale. We will do all we can to ensure that they enjoy their stay while they are with us.
“I would like to commend the wide programme of events on offer to residents and visitors to Art Central and hope that they will join with us in commemorating this significant day.”
Art Central is based at the Town Hall, Barry, and is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm. Entry is free. Tickets for ‘Against the Tide’ are available from the Barry Memorial Hall box office by telephoning 01446 738622.
