Bonus features for And When They Shall Ask released

More than a quarter-century after the Mennonite Media Society released And When They Shall Ask, a docu-drama telling the story of the Russian Mennonite experience from 1788 to the present, a new DVD version of the film, complete with bonus features, had its release at the Winnipeg Convention Centre on Oct. 24.

Bonus features include interviews with the film's producer, writer and composer, and others discussing the importance of the title and reflecting on certain important scenes in the film; explanations of the music; an interview with Jake Sawatzky telling his story about finding bread during the famine; and general behind-the-scenes information.

The film and the new bonus features were created in response to a lack of a tangible way to reflect on Mennonite history. According to co-producer Toni Dueck, a co-director of the media society, "Now there is a document that relates to their history in a medium that relates to today. It asks, Are we learning from our history?' It is a story that belongs to everyone, not just Mennonites," she said.

And When They Shall Askhas been aired several times by the CBC in Canada, and by PBS and the Discovery Channel in the U.S. It has won awards at film festivals in Toronto and Chicago, and the Angel Awards in Hollywood.

David Dueck, co-producer and co-director of the media society, said he hopes the new version will stir the interest of younger audiences to learn from their ancestors and their history, a history they may not know a lot about.

The DVD release event also included the release of the new CD by the Canzona Choir, Lasst die Herzen Immer Fr�hlich, featuring German hymns that are well known in the Mennonite tradition. Canzona, conducted by Henry Engebrecht, performed many of these hymns at the media release, and was joined by the audience in song several times.

[Sidebar]

The Canzona Choir released its newest album, Lasst die Herzen Immer Fr�hlich, at the DVD media release, where it performed many of the songs on the album.

[Author Affiliation]

STORY AND PHOTO BY RACHEL BERGEN

National Correspondent

WINNIPEG, MAN.