By Vytautas Sliupas,
Burlingame, CA

Stanford University in California is sponsoring Baltic Film Series! October 19th was the Opening Night of the film “Those Who Dare”. It features the Baltic nations' (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) struggle for the restoration of their independence, from 1986 to 1991 during the period of Gorbachev's “Perestroika”.

The film is based upon the live memories of Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland, 1988-1995. He visited Vilnius at the height of Lithuanian struggle, witnessed sieges of the Parliament and the TV tower and subsequently was instrumental in getting Iceland to be the first nation to recognize independence of the Baltic States. The film captures the dramatic course of events in the Baltic capitals of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn in January 1991 when the Soviet OMON narcotized, Ministry of Internal Affairs of SSSR, troops attempted to brutally suppress the independence movements.

Mr. Jon B. Hannibalsson in person gave a 30 minute introduction of the events in the Baltics in those days. Two memorable events that had greatest influence on the world, and helped to convince other countries to recognize the Independences, he said, were “The Singing Revolution” and the “Baltic Way”.

The film “Those Who Dare” is highly recommended to everyone. Other Baltic Film Series will feature: “Dangerous Summer” (2000), “In the Crosswind” (2014), and “Land of Songs” (2014). The Baltic Film Series is co-sponsored by Stanford Libraries and the Hoover Institutes' Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies.