Paul Robeson- Behind the Curtain
When we remember Paul Robeson, we think of the highly charismatic African-American singer and actor, and his unique bass voice singing Ol’ Man River. But the son of a slave was also a civil rights activist and vocal supporter of oppression in all its forms. Through archival footage never seen before, the film will explore the untold story of a world famous star’s development as a politically active artist in close connection with his involvement with the Soviet Union and many European, especially Eastern European countries. The film will show how the relationship with these countries shaped Robeson’s political views, how it made him so dangerous to the US that they tried to silence him, but also how Eastern Bloc states supported Robeson and used him for propaganda in the same time. The film will let Robeson tell his story in his own words through newsreel and audio material contrasted by comments from his antagonists. In times when the media evoke the image of “Cold War II”, the audience will also discover through a fascinating and highly emotional story how the Cold War was played through culture.