Rozmowa o współczesnej tożsamości polskich Żydów
Dialog about the Modern Identity of Polish Jews

Around the Postmemory Narrations in Documentary by Mikołaj Grynberg The Proof of Identity

Summary/Abstract: The 2021 documentary The Proof of Identity marked the directorial debut of Mikołaj Grynberg. In this film, the director attempts to depict the unique experience of being a Polish Jew, while also exploring the intricate nature of an essentially dual (Polish-Jewish or Jewish-Polish) identity. The aim of this article is to elucidate the framework employed by both the director and his characters in recounting their search for a proof of identity, which entails coming to terms with personal (and familial) memory. The article delves into the “conflicts” and “negotiations” that arise in the interviewed individuals’ considerations of identity within the context of postmemory. Central to the film is the director’s fundamental question: What does it mean to be a Jew in present-time Poland? An integral aspect of these considerations is the examination of the fact that the author, who is primarily known as a writer, chose the form of documentary, with the interview as its special type.

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