ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ย. 2024
- Sam Lesser talks about the Spanish Civil War and the International Brigades. A film by Marshall Mateer, IBMT Film Co-ordinator.
The film includes: Sam telling the story of how the Jarama casualty list was brought from Spain to London. Sam singing 'Roll Out the Barrel' in Sitges 2008 during an 'informal' parade of Brigaders through the town. The 2008 'Homenaje a las Brigadas Internacionales' in Barcelona where Sam reads 'For the Fallen' at Montjuic cemetery. One of the small group of brigaders receiving Spanish citizenship at the Spanish embassy in London 2009. His 95th birthday cake. Reading 'The Volunteer' by Cecil Day-Lewis - words from which are inscribed on the national International Brigade memorial in London - at the annual commemoration in 2006 and in the Royal Festival Hall at the 2009 Celebration for his fellow Brigader Jack Jones. Discussing civilian bombing at the Whitechapel Gallery in 2010. The film ends with Sam looking back (2006 interview) on 'Why I went to Spain in 1936', with its continuing resonance to events of today. The final image is of Sam, with raised fist salute, standing in front of the tapestry of Picasso's 'Guernica' taken in 2010.
Sam Lesser (Russell) was born in the East End of London in 1915 to Jewish parents, immigrants from Poland. He was a student of archaeology at London University but left to join the International Brigades in October 1936. He fought at Madrid and then Lopera where he was wounded. He took the casualty list from Jarama back to London. He Returned to Spain and worked for Radio Barcelona, as a journalist for the Daily Worker and as CPGB representative. He continued as foreign correspondent with the Daily Worker, Morning Star until his retirement in 1984 covering many 'hot spots' - Moscow, Hungary, Vietnam, Cuba, Chile. In later life he was Chair of the IBMT. He died in 2010.
The interview in the film was recorded in 2006 and the appearnce at MML in 2010 was his last public appearance for IBMT
Filmed between 2006 and 2010, mostly in Standard Definition (SD). The interview with Sam Lesser was filmed by Marshall Mateer in 2006. The film was first shown at the launch of the book 'I Saw Democracy Murdered' by Colin Chambers and Sam Russell (Lesser) - Routledge 2022 - at Marx Memorial Library on 7th April 2022.
"The film on Sam Russell was wonderful - many thanks"
"very moving and much appreciated" Colin Chambers.
"... brilliant film ..."
"... a significant part of the evening ..."
(comments at the book launch)