Zuzana Justman
Encyclopedia
Zuzana Justman is a native of the former Czechoslovakia
, which she left in 1948. A documentary
filmmaker and writer
, she now lives in New York, but she has filmed most of her documentaries in the country of her birth and other European countries.
Zuzana Justman, her brother and her parents, Viktor and Marie Pick, were imprisoned for two years in the Terezín concentration camp. Viktor was deported to Auschwitz where he was killed, the others survived.
After the communist putsch ("Victorious February") of 1948, Zuzana and her mother left for Argentina
. Jiri never fully recovered from the serious illnesses he contracted in Terezin, but he became a prolific writer who began to publish his work soon after the war and he remained in Prague
. Detesting the Peron
regime
, Justman left Buenos Aires
in 1950 to study at Vassar College
.
She received a B.A. from Vassar and later a Ph.D. in Slavic Linguistics from Columbia University
.
In 1993 she wrote, produced and directed Czech Women: Now We Are Free.
Her documentary Voices of the Children
, which tells the story of three concentration camp survivors, received the 1999 Emmy Award for best historical program, the Certificate of Merit at the Chicago International Film Festival
, in 1998 the Gold Plaque at the Chicago International Television Competition, in 1998 Best Documentary and Audience Choice for Best Documentary awards at Film Fest New Haven
, in 1997 the Silver Apple from National Educational Media Network.
Justman's film A Trial in Prague
about a 1952 show trial in Communist Czechoslovakia (known as the Slansky Trial) opened theatrically in 2001 to positive reviews.
Her 2006 adaptation of her brother's 1982 play The Unlucky Man in the Yellow Cap (in original Czech Smolař ve žluté čepici ), was performed at the FringeNYC
festival in August 2006.
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, which she left in 1948. A documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
filmmaker and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, she now lives in New York, but she has filmed most of her documentaries in the country of her birth and other European countries.
Early life
Her brother was Jiří Robert Pick (1925–1983), Czech writer and playwright. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Zuzana Justman, her brother and her parents, Viktor and Marie Pick, were imprisoned for two years in the Terezín concentration camp. Viktor was deported to Auschwitz where he was killed, the others survived.
After the communist putsch ("Victorious February") of 1948, Zuzana and her mother left for Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Jiri never fully recovered from the serious illnesses he contracted in Terezin, but he became a prolific writer who began to publish his work soon after the war and he remained in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. Detesting the Peron
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
regime
Regime
The word regime refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature.-Politics:...
, Justman left Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in 1950 to study at Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
.
She received a B.A. from Vassar and later a Ph.D. in Slavic Linguistics from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
Career
She worked as a writer and translator and then in 1986 she began to make her first film Terezin Diary (completed in 1989), a documentary about the World War II concentration camp in occupied CzechoslovakiaIn 1993 she wrote, produced and directed Czech Women: Now We Are Free.
Her documentary Voices of the Children
Voices of the Children
Voices of the Children is an Emmy-Award winning documentary film that tells the story of three people who were imprisoned as children in the Terezin concentration camp. 16mm - color - 80min.- Content :...
, which tells the story of three concentration camp survivors, received the 1999 Emmy Award for best historical program, the Certificate of Merit at the Chicago International Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America....
, in 1998 the Gold Plaque at the Chicago International Television Competition, in 1998 Best Documentary and Audience Choice for Best Documentary awards at Film Fest New Haven
Film Fest New Haven
The Film Fest New Haven is an annual film festival held in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, home of Yale University. Also sometimes known as the New Haven Film Fest, it is a non-profit organisation that was founded in 1995. This independent film festival features premieres and screenings of films made...
, in 1997 the Silver Apple from National Educational Media Network.
Justman's film A Trial in Prague
A Trial in Prague
A Trial in Prague is a critically acclaimed documentary film about a 1952 show trial in Communist Czechoslovakia - color - 83min.-Content:...
about a 1952 show trial in Communist Czechoslovakia (known as the Slansky Trial) opened theatrically in 2001 to positive reviews.
Her 2006 adaptation of her brother's 1982 play The Unlucky Man in the Yellow Cap (in original Czech Smolař ve žluté čepici ), was performed at the FringeNYC
New York International Fringe Festival
The New York International Fringe Festival, or FringeNYC, is a Fringe theater festival and one of the largest multi-arts events in North America. It takes place over the course of two weeks every August, spread across several neighborhoods in downtown Manhattan, notably the Lower East Side, the...
festival in August 2006.
Family
She is married to Daniel Justman, a psychiatrist. She has two sons from a previous marriage to the late writer David Boroff, Philip and David, as well as two stepchildren, Alexander and Jessica Justman.Film documentaries
- A Trial in Prague, 2000 – director, producer, screenwriter
- Voices of the ChildrenVoices of the ChildrenVoices of the Children is an Emmy-Award winning documentary film that tells the story of three people who were imprisoned as children in the Terezin concentration camp. 16mm - color - 80min.- Content :...
, 1997 – director, screenwriter
- Czech Women: Now We Are Free, 1993 – director, screenwriter (with J. Becker, L. Studničková)
- Terezin Diary, 1989 (screenwriter, executive producer), directed and produced by Dan Weissman
Theatre
- The Unlucky Man in the Yellow Cap , directed by Marcy Arlin, lyrics, translation and cooperation Alex ZuckerAlex ZuckerAlex Zucker is an American literary translator.-Life and career:Zucker was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. From ages 4 to 17, he lived in East Lansing, Michigan. He attended college at UMass Amherst, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Zoology in 1986...
, other lyrics by Peter Fish (also music), Zuzana Justman, J.R. Pick, performed at the FringeNYCNew York International Fringe FestivalThe New York International Fringe Festival, or FringeNYC, is a Fringe theater festival and one of the largest multi-arts events in North America. It takes place over the course of two weeks every August, spread across several neighborhoods in downtown Manhattan, notably the Lower East Side, the...
festival, August 2006
Biography
- Jiří Voráč: Český film v exilu: kapitoly z dějin po roce 1968 (in Czech, Czech film in exile: chapters from history after 1968 ), Host, BrnoBrnoBrno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
2004, ISBN 80-7294-136-4