Lithuanians are creating a documentary film about Catherine Jagiellon
The fate of Catherine Jagiellon, the Polish-Lithuanian princess who became Duchess of Finland and Queen of Sweden, intertwines four nations. A creative team is tracing the steps of this historical figure to uncover and share the most significant details of her life through a documentary film.
A bridge across epochs and countries
"There is something eternal about all of us", says the documentary film director and producer, self-development practices moderator Gitana Platakytė, who is convinced that this historical figure is very interesting even today. While creating the film, she decided to apply an innovative approach and combine two different genres – historical and psychological documentary, so that today's person could look not only at the life of an extraordinary historical personality but also into the depths of their own soul.
"Over the years, only people's clothing and 'toys' change – clothes, weapons, jewelry, and other objects – but fundamental values, challenges of self-realization, and the eternal mysteries of the meaning of life remain the same. The life story of Catherine Jagiellon is an opportunity to delve into the secrets of leadership and self-development that are relevant to all times. Her story continues to inspire courage to be oneself, to discover inner strength, and to calmly and confidently accept changes that lead to new discoveries," the film's director is convinced.
The commemoration of the 461st anniversary of Catherine Jagiellon's wedding became a sensation - viewers filled the large hall of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, which seats 400.
While creating the documentary, G. Platakytė employed various psychological practices. Also the creative team interviewed historians from Lithuania, Poland, Finland, and Sweden, filming the castles where Catherine Jagiellon lived in all four countries. "The documentary will reveal many interesting facts not only about Catherine's personality but also present the assessments of historians from different countries about her. It will be very interesting to find out how Swedes, Finns, Poles, and Lithuanians remember and evaluate Catherine today. This film is a great way to build bridges of memory not only between epochs but also between countries," says journalist Ilona Skujaitė, author of the historical novel "War Bride" about Catherine Jagiellon, who found and interviewed foreign historians for the film.
The visits of foreign historians to Lithuania for filming were supported by the Embassies of the Kingdom of Sweden, the Republic of Finland, and the Republic of Poland, as well as the Polish Institute in Vilnius. Due to its international nature, the film about Catherine Jagiellon is relevant not only to Lithuanian but also to neighboring countries' audiences, therefore it is planned to be shown in cinemas, festivals, cultural and educational institutions, and embassies in Lithuania and abroad.
Author of historical novel "War Bride" Ilona Skujaitė, historian Luka Lesauskaitė and director of the documentary about Catherine Jagiellon Gitana Platakytė were the main speakers of the event.
A fragment of the upcoming documentary
On October 4, 2023, the Museum of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania commemorated the 461st anniversary of the wedding of Catherine Jagiellon and John Vasa, Duke of Finland and Prince of Sweden. The event, titled "Royal Wedding of Catherine Jagiellon: Then and Now," featured various creative expressions, including dance, music, documentaries, and interactive readings of Ilona Skujaitė's novel "War Bride." These elements helped convey the appeal of this royal woman's life to a modern audience.
"Why do we know so little about Catherine Jagiellon, a descendant of the Gediminas dynasty, who managed to become the Queen of Sweden? Her achievements, intriguing and even shocking life twists, and incredible love story are no less dramatic than those of famous European dynasties like the Borgias of Italy, King Henry VIII of England, the Medicis of France, or Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire. Catherine Jagiellon deserves to have books, films, plays, and love songs written about her," says Ilona Skujaitė, author of the historical novel "War Bride" and a member of the documentary film's creative team.
During the event at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, the audience had the opportunity to see an unedited fragment from the upcoming documentary. This fragment, captured during a constellation session, showcased the intense emotions experienced by the participants. The director and producer, G. Platakytė, shared how the participants, through modern psychological practices, transported themselves back to the 16th century, experiencing emotions so strong that they led to tears and anger. Andrius, who took on the role of the Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible, one of Catherine Jagiellon's suitors, even confessed to feeling on the brink of madness.
Director Gitana Platakyte and participant of the documentary Aurimas talked about their experiences during fillming process.
Vytautas Abramauska's photo.
Photo gallery of the event:
Posted on 2023-10-16
