Film Screening @ NY Estonian House: Paradox of Seabrook Farms

A special film screening of the documentary film “The Paradox of Seabrook Farms” by Merits Productions, hosted at the New York Estonian House. This is an excellent overview and look into the times, culture, joys and struggles experienced at Seabrook Farms, a place that many of us recognize as a hub of Estonian immigrants folowing the Mass Flight of 1944.

EANC is a proud supporter of this and other films by historian and filmmaker Helga Merits.

Arrive for the matinee, enjoy a discussion and Q&A with the director, and stay for the following celebration of the 107th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia (Eesti Vabariigi 107. aastapäev)!

Enjoy the day at the New York Estonian House, celebrating Estonian history and community.

11:45 – 1:15pm Documentary viewing
1:15 – 1:40pm Q&A with director Helga Merits

Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fmaFK4j81k&t=48s

Film info: https://www.meritsproductions.com/…/the-paradox-of…

The Paradox of Seabrook Farms, 1 hr 30 minutes.

The history of the Seabrook family who created Seabrook Farms is similar to a Greek tragedy of betrayal — of creating and destroying possibilities — where behind the scenes, each with their own heart-breaking story, a diverse community of refugees and immigrants lived and worked.
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In the 1950s Seabrook Farms was the biggest frozen food processing plant in the US and it needed farm and factory labor. The largest group of workers consisted of over 2,000 Japanese Americans who had been interned during the first years of the Second World War and had been looking for a new place to live. After the war refugees from many countries in Europe came to Sea-brook Farms, amongst them were some 900 Estonians and 200 Latvians.
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They all had lost their homes and had to start again. Working at Seabrook farms meant seven day weeks with ever changing shifts, work that was both physically and mentally draining. Amongst all the hardships they still found ways to keep up their cultural traditions and create new possibilities for their children.
At the same time jealousy and distrust drove the Seabrook family apart. Instead of creating a future for his sons, Mr Seabrook took it away from them.

The film sheds light on the puzzling history of the Seabrook family and their factory workers; people of different countries and cultural backgrounds who had no other place to go to.

Seabrooki farmi asutajate perekonna ajalugu meenutab Kreeka tragöödiat. Selles on reetmist, võimaluste loomist ja hävitamist. Samal ajal jagasid pagulastest ja sisserändajatest Seabrooki töötajad ühist südantlõhestavat lugu. 1950. aastatel oli Seabrooki farm suurim külmutatud toidu töötlemisettevõte Ameerikas. Edukaks toimimiseks tuli kasutada põllumajandus- ja tehase tööjõudu. Suurim tööjõugrupp koosnes üle 2000 Jaapani ameeriklasest, kes olid teise maailmasõja algusaastatel Ameerikasse intergreerunud. Pärast sõda tulid Seabrooki taludesse tööle pagulased mujaltki, paljud Euroopast. Nende hulgas oli umbes 900 eestlast ja 200 lätlast. Nad olid kõik kaotanud oma kodud ja pidid oma elu taas nullist üles ehitama hakkama. Töö Seabrooki taludes toimus seitse päeva nädalas, mis oli nii füüsiliselt kui vaimselt kurnav. Kõigi raskuste keskel leiti siiski viise, kuidas hoida oma kultuurilisi traditsioone ja luua järeltulijatele uusi võimalusi. Kadedus ja usalduse puudumine aga süvenes ja viis Seabrooki perekonna lõpuks lahku. Selle asemel, et oma poegadele parem tulevik rajada, otsustas härr Seabrook hoopis selle neilt röövida. Film heidab valgust Seabrooki perekonna ja nende tehase töötajate mõistatuslikule ajaloole – erinevatest riikidest ja kultuuridest pärit inimestele, kelle jaoks Seabrooki farm oli ainus lootusekiir.

Helga Merits is a documentary filmmaker with Estonian roots living in Holland. After completing a successful study of philosophy at the University of Amsterdam, she went on to work as a newspaper and radio journalist in Holland and Belgium. It was during this period that the idea of making documentaries began to grow; image and sound, as well as words, were to influence her work from then on.

Helga Merits: “In the end, this is what it’s all about: to convey the story and make people enthusiastic, hopeful and give them inspiration.” (Eesti Elu, 21 October 2017)