Your donation is tax deductible!!! "Cycles and Revolutions" is a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization. Contributions on behalf of "Cycles and Revolutions" are payable to IDA and are tax deductible less the value of any goods or services received, as allowed by law. The value of goods and services being offered is noted under each donation level. If you would like to receive the full tax deduction you have the option to simply decline the reward at check out. 

Our Story

Cycles and Revolutions began as a simple desire to learn about my family history. What that led to, though, was an exploration of history of the Jews of the Russian and Soviet empires; how the hopes and desires of many led to the actions of a few, igniting a revolution with repercussions that can are still strongly felt today.

I uncovered the story of my grandfather, a revolutionary and former Bolshevik, who was arrested for past and future counter-revolutionary activity and imprisoned in remote Siberia. Twice. I learned of my grandmothers harrowing ordeal to learn of her husbands fate, and ten months later, the harrowing two-week journey with my father, then just a toddler, from Cherkassy to Kiev, to Moscow, to Siberiaby trains, by icebreakers and by truckto the village of Razdolinsk. There, they were forced to start their lives over in the harsh conditions of Siberia, where to this day lie places man has never tread.  The hardships they would endure didn't end there.

Even more alarming, I found that my familys story, while special, was not unique. I discovered that thousands of other Soviet Jewish families had suffered similar hardships, in a cycle of oppression that has led to questions of identity for not just me, but a large number of ex-Soviet Jews.

Today, many of us lack faith in the Jewish religion, and most of us left the Soviet Union unaware of any Jewish tradition. Many wonder as I did when I started this quest, if we can truly be American, having come from the Soviet Union, or Russian, as most Americans see us. Are we even still Jewish, then, without the Soviet Union's external oppression forcing us together?

There is an old Soviet Jewish expression: "It's the Trotskys who make the revolutions, and the Bronsteins who pay the price."  My family was among many to do both, but none can say they were unaffected.

The Impact

The personal stories of Jewish participation in creating the Soviet Union and the price they paid are all but gone.  With the Soviet Empire now a fading memory and official discrimination out of vogue, the chance to tell this story may soon pass, taking the lessons it has to offer with it even as the people whom it can affect most disappear.

Through both a personal and historic lens, this film will address questions such as:

• Why did so many Jews take part in the Russian Revolution?
• What were the conditions that drove them to rise up and fight for their freedom for the first time in thousands of years?
• What was their participation in and impact on the creation of the Soviet Union?
• What was the price that they paid?
• What did the Russian and Soviet empires hope to achieve with their discrimination? 
  
• Did they succeed?
• Who are we today?

Beyond the documentary itself, this is a project that will live on through various organizations such as HIAS (in concert with their MyStory project), JAFI, The Jewish Federation and AJC -- all of whom are currently concerned with building the Russian-Jewish identity for the next generation -- by sharing footage, putting on screenings and doing various presentations based on the material.

What We Need & What You Get

We need to get this movie finished. With over 80 hours of footage already compiled, we need an editor. More than that we need an editor who speaks fluent Russian and English with the skills to help tell a compelling story that will reach beyond the immediate "Russian-Jewish" community and share this story with the world.

All funds collected through this campaign will go to post production on the film, starting with the editor. Once an edit is done, we will approach organizations and other funding sources to complete post-production (including music scoring and licensing, graphics, sound, color correction, and marketing).  We have already lined up several talented post-production professionals, composers and others who are passionate about this project and will work at discounted rates to help us make the best film possible.

Of course, for your generous donation, you can receive a number of different credits and swag -- so go check the sidebar for all the details!

Other Ways You Can Help

Get the word out! If you can't make a donation, you can still help:

1. Please pass this page on to your friends, families, and facebook!
   
2. "Like" us on facebook! (www.facebook.com/cyclesfilm)
3. Follow us on twitter! (@cyclesfilm)
4. Send people to our website! (www.cyclesandrevolutions.com)
5. Sign up for our email list (www.cyclesandrevolutions.com/contact)