Documentary traces 40 years of ‘Czech Country’ life

The Eddie Shimota Polka Band gets ready for its close-up some 40 years ago, when the
Jerry Minar Recording Studio, New Prague, produced the band's first album. The group as pictured then has a starring role in the new feature documentary, “Singin’ in the Grain”, premiering at the 38th Minneapolis/St.Paul International Film Festival. Pictured are (from left) Eddie Shimota Sr., Eddie Jr. (age 10), Harold Shimota, Helen Smisek, and Larry Smisek. (Submitted Photo)

A feature documentary tracing life in Minnesota’s “Czech Country” (Montgomery, New Prague, Veseli, Lonsdale), 40 years in the making, will have its world premiere on Saturday, April 6, at the Minneapolis /St.Paul International Film Festival, St. Anthony Main Theater, 125 Main St. SE, in Minneapolis at 2 p.m. The documentary is called “Singin' in the Grain.” It features footage from Montgomery's classic and contemporary Kolacky Days festivals, New Prague's Dozinky Festival, and the Veseli Ho- Down.

The film is produced and directed by Al Milgrom, with additional directing and editing by Daniel Geiger.

The film is described as the lively, lovely story of a village polka band and its city cousins, shot in the breadbasket of southern Minnesota. “Singin' in the Grain” captures what it means to be a Czech-American today and, by extension, one's own identity as an American.

In folksong and dance, the Eddie Shimota Polka Band is followed for more than 40 years and three generations by documentarist Milgrom. After the post-communist 1989 Velvet Revolution, a new generation of immigrants arrives with their own folk-Slavic beat and different vibes, a far cry from Eddie's world.

As Minnesota's “Czech Triangle” (New Prague, Montgomery, Veseli and Lonsdale) and St. Paul's Sokol Hall celebrate with symbolic food, dance, costume, parades, and holidays defining who they are, the film becomes a passport for re-examining America's historic immigrant odyssey.

Milgrom is the founder and artistic director of U Film Society, 1962, and co-founder of Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, 1981. He also has had a second career as a filmmaker going back to grad student days at University of Minnesota. His credits include documentary features “Russian Journey” (1959), and “Dinkytown Uprising” (2015), with other short documentaries.

Geiger has worked in the film business for over 37 years on feature films such as: “Fargo,” “North Country,” and “Purple Rain.” Based in Minneapolis, he works primarily as an editor or assistant editor, but over the years he has worked in LA, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and New Orleans, in every facet of filmmaking. He was a cinematographer on the Oscarwinning documentary, “American Dream” by Barbara Kopple.

Showings Minneapolis/St.Paul International Film Festival

Saturday, April 6, 2 p.m. St. Anthony Main Theatre 2

Wednesday, April 17, 4:15 p.m. St. Anthony Main Theatre 2 Advance tickets are recommended.

Visit mspfilm.org/festivals/ mspiff/. Click on “Schedule” to the appropriate date.

Rochester International Film Festival Thursday April 18, 12:15 p.m. Visit rifg.org

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