We run various multi media events called Optimistic Immigrants building on the themes of Eastern European exile, immigration, adaptation and hope that are part of the story at the heart of our film ‘How to Re-Establish a Vodka Empire.’

Optimistic Immigrants was launched at TINAG (This is Not a Gateway) Festival 2008 with an event hosted by Guest Room featuring film screenings and live music. The next Optimistic Immigrants event was part of East End Film Festival 2008 and hosted by Vibe Live. Previous programme details and images can be found below and a great article by Sukhdev Sandhu can be found at his Telegraph film blog.

You can find out more about our most recent Optimistic Immigrants events at both TINAG festival 2009 and with UCL Urban Film Society on the news page here.
The next Optimistic Immigrants will be from 7.30pm on Sunday 28th March 2010 as part of the launch of the new London Jewish Museum.

Part of Polska! Year.
Raymond Burton house, 129-131 Albert Street, Camden Town
Box office: 020 7284 7384 / admin@jewishmuseum.org.uk

More info and full programme coming to the news section soon.

Here are some photos from our event at the East End Film Festival April 2009 (Pictures by Nicholas Hockings)

Installation by Hilary Powell, based on the manuscript of my granny Maroussia.

OPTIMISTIC IMMIGRANTS @ EAST END FILM FESTIVAL 28 APRIL 2009

featuring films and performances from real, live immigrants!

photo courtesy of Nic Rawling

The long awaited, hugely anticipated UK launch of Zorokovich 1917 Vodka.

Part of the East End Film Festival 2009.

http://www.eastendfilmfestival.com

Tickets £7. £5.50 concessions. Keep your papers on you at all times!

Admission includes a free shot of the premium Ukrainian Vodka for the first 200 takers – remember, Zorokovich 1917 – ‘the spirit of revolution.’

‘Optimistic Immigrants’ is a multi media event run by Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell of Optimistic Productions. It builds on the themes of Eastern European exile, immigration and integration seen in their feature film in production commissioned by More 4 called ‘How to Re-Establish a Vodka Empire’.

‘Optimistic Immigrants’ explores all stories and diverse creative explorations of migration bringing together film, music, performance and discussion with a specific focus on the layered history and stories of the locality in which each event is held.

This upcoming outing on Tuesday 28th April is part of the East End Film Festival 2009 and is held in Vibe Live (above the Vibe Bar in the Truman Brewery on Brick Lane) in an area loaded with ongoing urban migration history and the shadow of Mosley’s black-shirts.

Eastern European music will accompany a series of film screenings exploring both historic and contemporary migration issues with some of the film makers and their subjects on hand to introduce and discuss their stories.

The event will also include the opportunity to witness the amazing Paper Cinema and Kieron Maguire.

Join the Vodka Club, watch the film trailer, hear live readings from Maroussia Zorokovich’s manuscript and enter installations inspired by her romantic accounts of revolution and exile.

PROGRAMME

Music and performance throughout the evening by:

Zac Gvirtzmann and Dave Shulman eminent vagabond gypsy jazz musicians on accordion and clarinet.

Monooka
Romanian singer, songwriter, actress, poet, puppeteer, animator and filmmaker.
http://monooka.com

Monooka will be performing a migration related puppet routine.

Programme of short films –1hr 30mins

How to Re-Establish a Vodka Empire
Trailer and manuscript readings accompanied by Zac and Dave
Dan Edelstyn.2008.(5 mins)
http://www.myvodkaempire.com

Broken Promise
In November 2006 the UK Home Office changed the immigration rules to a points based system. Originally made for Aljazeera’s ‘People&Power’ strand this documentary explores just how these changes impact on the lives of people living and working in Great Britain.
Hugh Hartford and Rosa Rogers.2006.(20 mins).

Hugh Hartford will be at the screening with one of the subjects of the documentary, Anwar to chat about the film and issues it highlights.
http://www.banyak.co.uk
http://www.rosarogers.co.uk

The Referee
Against the backdrop of the Orange Revolution in the Ukraine, ‘The Referee’ tells the story of Nikolai, a Ukrainian Sunday League football referee on London’s Hackney Marshes. ‘The Referee’ is a film about isolation, community and fair play.
Mike Paterson. 2005 (10 mins)
The director will be present to introduce the film.

Letters Home
A series of Channel 4 x 3 minute wonders focusing on the ‘hidden’ work carried out by immigrants in the UK, with typical letters home to their families as far flung as Lithuania and Bangladesh.
Julie Moggan and Simon Chambers. 2005.(12 mins)

The Battle for Cable Street
In 1936 Oswald Mosley requested to march through the East End with his army of Blackshirts in a display fascist power. Government at the time deemed stopping the march to be an infringement of the freedom of speech. However Jews, Irish, dockworkers and Communists joined the people of the East End in a multi cultural stand against fascism and intolerance. It resulted in new laws being introduced, which still exist today, to ban political uniform and restrict fascist activity. Director Yoav Segal’s grandfather, Ubby Cowan, helped organise the demonstration. The Battle of Cable Street brings to life Ubbys vivid memories told through the eyes of a child through the use of cutting edge rotoscoped and frame by frame animation side by side HiDef cinemtaic liveaction.
Yoav Segel. 2006. (10 mins).

http://www.freshfilmprod.com/yoav/index.php

Children of the Ghetto Trailer
Tracing a section of London that between 1880 to 1940 was home to a large number of Eastern European Jews. The filmmakers recall this period using archival footage and interviews with people who lived in the area at that time including Vidal Sassoon and Steven Berkoff.
Elliot Tucker. (7 mins)
The filmmaker will introduce and talk about the project.
http://www.elliotttucker.com

- – - – - – - – -

The Paper Cinema & Kieron Maguire.
Like watching a film being created before your eyes, The Paper Cinema create live animation using lovingly-crafted paper puppets who inhabit surreal paper worlds. Live music by Kieron Maguire on viola and flamenco guitar. The Paper Cinema will be performing 2 pieces on the themes of travel, migration and separation. (30 mins)
http://www.thepapercinema.com
http://www.kieronmaguire.com

Starting and ending the night:
DJ Penny Metal
‘Boldly playing tunes no one else dares, Penny Metal is a DJ extraordinaire! Heart warming, life affirming and really good fun, Penny’s unique and inimitable style is never limited by her love of all things Russian and Eastern European. She spins an irresistible and eclectic mix of tunes. And always with a huge smile!’
http://www.myspace.com/pennymetal
http://www.pennymetal.com/

Also :

• Check out Film for Humanity’s project ‘Beyond Brick Lane – Bengali Reflections On Today’s East End’ screening around the space www.filmforhumanity.org.uk
• Look out for the salesman with a suitcase of fine wares – including beautiful Ltd Edition ‘How to Re-Establish A Vodka Empire: The Story so Far’ publications.
• Enter the worlds left behind – of ‘shadows in the drawing room’ and ‘a fugue composed of all the broken love songs in the world’ in installations by Hilary Powell inspired by the manuscript of Maroussia Zorokovich and her memoirs of life during the Russian Revolution and flight westwards to Northern Ireland.

*The Vodka Club is being used as one of the ways to fund the making of the feature film ‘How to Re-Establish a Vodka Empire.’ Club membership includes a bottle of premium vodka, your name in the film credits and invitation to the premiere screening in 2010.

For further information contact:
Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell
dan@optimisticproductions.co.uk / hilary@optimisticproductions.co.uk
www.optimisticproductions.co.uk

DAN EDELSTYN AND THE ORCHESTRA OF CARDBOARD

Dan and the band are supporting The Hoosiers at Gloom Aid on 19th January 09.

Check out The Miserablists at ‘Gloom Aid’

19th Jan 09, Shepherds Bush Empire

Officially the gloomiest day of the year

For more info/tickets see: FeelingGloomy.com