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Devastating lost footage of Polish Jews revealed in new Holocaust doc

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7 months ago

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One day in 2009, Glenn Kurtz made a shocking discovery.

In the Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, home of his late grandfather David Kurtz, he found a fused, decaying old roll of Kodak movie-camera film in the closet.

After a lab restored the reel, the younger Kurtz couldn’t believe what it revealed: more than three minutes of footage depicting about 150 Jewish residents — men, women and unbelievably happy children — who lived in a small town in Poland in the months before the Holocaust began.

Kurtz assumed the mysterious locale was his late grandmother or grandfather’s birthplace. But he didn’t know much about their pre-American life.

“My grandfather was only four years old when he came to the United States,” Kurtz says in the new documentary “Three Minutes: A Lengthening,” out Friday. “He grew up feeling himself to be American. By the mid-1930s, he and my grandmother had a family and they were living in Brooklyn.”

The residents of Nasielsk, Poland, were not accustomed to seeing video cameras in 1938.
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David Kurtz left Nasielsk in 1892 as a four-year-old boy, but returned in 1938 with his camera during a trip to Europe.
David Kurtz left Nasielsk in 1892 as a 4-year-old boy, but returned in 1938 with his camera during a trip to Europe.
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So he began his research using context clues from the film. It was the Lion of Judah engraved on the door of a synagogue that helped him identify it as his grandfather’s hometown of Nasielsk, Poland, about 30 miles north of Warsaw.

David had shot the footage with a brand new 16 mm Ciné-Kodak camera during a European vacation in August 1938 — one year before the Nazis deported all 3,000 of the town’s Jewish residents to ghettos and later to death camps. Of the thousands of Jews who lived in Nasielsk, fewer than 100 survived the Holocaust. The movie is as extraordinary as it is sad.

“Of all the Polish towns destroyed in the Holocaust, Nasielsk is one of the few that exist in moving pictures, and among just a handful preserved in color,” Kurtz explains in the doc. 

And it nearly was lost forever.

The footage, restorers estimated, was about one month away from being totally “unsalvageable,” Kurtz says.

He spent four years trying to identify residents, but he had few obvious details of which to go off. So, he donated the clip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which posted it on its website.

Two years later, he received an email from a woman in Detroit named Marcy Rosen.

“She told me in this email that someone had brought the film to her attention and she’d viewed it online and … she suddenly saw a face and recognized her grandfather as a 13-year-old boy.”

Rosen’s mother phoned her father, Maurice Chandler — the teen in the video — who was still living. He said to her, “Now you know I’m not from Mars.”

Chandler helped bring to life what Kurtz was witnessing. He pointed out and named his little friends and the school teacher, among others.

Of the 3,000 Jewish residents of Nasielsk, less than 100 survived te Holocaust.
Of the 3,000 Jewish residents of Nasielsk, fewer than 100 survived the Holocaust.
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In Dec. 1939, Nazis gathered all of the Jewish residents in the town square to be on trains to ghettos. Later, they were sent do death camps.
In December 1939, Nazis rounded up all of the Nasielsk’s Jewish residents into the town square, from where they were loaded onto trains to take them to ghettos. Later, they were sent to death camps.
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All told, Kurtz was able to locate seven Nasielsk survivors by 2012, two of whom appear in the video: Chandler and an unnamed woman. Kurtz learned from another survivor about the morning of December 1939 when, at 7:30 a.m., all of the Jewish residents were violently forced to the town square by Nazis wielding whips before they were sent away on trains. 

But the footage captures a beautiful, vibrant time before the Jewish residents’ lives were cruelly ripped away.

In the documentary, Chandler explains what he was feeling as Kurtz’s grandfather filmed him with a video camera — a “magic” device he’d never encountered before. 

“What was in my mind at that time? The stuff that came later didn’t exist,” he says. “I had no fear about it. I felt very comfortable in this society. Everything was routine. We had my parents, my brothers, my uncles. Everybody was there.

“I said to myself, ‘If somebody told me what a couple years later I was going to have to do, I wouldn’t believe it.’”

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This Off-the-Shoulder Sequin Top Is Perfect for New Year’s Eve — On Sale Now!

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3 months ago

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December 23, 2022

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Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services.

Our closet is like a New Year’s Eve graveyard, filled with the sequined skeletons of past holiday outfits we’ve since discarded. That’s the thing about New Year’s — it often feels like a waste of money for just a few hours of fun. Rather than splurge on a sparkly dress you’ll only wear once, we recommend buying a staple piece you can style over and over again. Our top choice? This off-the-shoulder shirt that’s currently on sale from Amazon.

Adorned with sequins and available in 12 different colors, this trendy top features a flattering silhouette that complements all figures. The drapey style shows off a little skin while still covering trouble areas on arms, and the relaxed fit skims curves nicely. You can mix and match this statement shirt with a variety of bottoms, from high-waisted pants to a mini skirt. Since the options are endless, you’re getting more bang for your buck.

Read on to find out why this sequin shirt is a New Year’s Eve necessity!

Get the Anna-Kaci Women’s Short Sleeve One Shoulder Sequin Top for just $36 (originally $45) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, December 23, 2022, but are subject to change.

The Anna-Kaci Women’s Short Sleeve One Shoulder Sequin Top is perfect for a New Year’s Eve party! The unofficial dress code of the holiday is sequins, so you’ll fit right in. Bonus: this top is surprisingly comfortable.

We also love the versatility of this sparkly shirt. As everyone else around you is freezing in frocks, you can choose to complete your ensemble with warm pants or a blazer on top. Pair this shirt with faux leather pants in the winter or shorts in the summer! Stick with a solid shade, or go all out with a multicolored or ombré option.

Get the Anna-Kaci Women’s Short Sleeve One Shoulder Sequin Top for just $36 (originally $45) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, December 23, 2022, but are subject to change.

Take this sparkly shirt from a holiday party to a concert! Stand out on any special occasion in this fun top that will earn you all the compliments. As one shopper said, “This shirt was perfect for attending a bling Christmas party. It fit well and shined brightly. It’s perfect for events.” Another customer gushed, “This shirt is everything! Comfy, flattering and makes this boxy girl have a waist!” And if you’re worried about this top feeling less than luxe, just read this rave review: “Many sequined tops and dresses look more like a costume to me, but this one doesn’t. I ordered for a concert but feel like it is something I will also wear on other occasions.”

On New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, rock this one-shoulder sequin shirt, on sale now at Amazon!

See It! Get the Anna-Kaci Women’s Short Sleeve One Shoulder Sequin Top for just $36 (originally $45) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, December 23, 2022, but are subject to change.

Not your style? Shop more from Anna-Kaci here and explore more tops here! Don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

Looking for other New Year’s outfit ideas? Check out more picks below:

This post is brought to you by Us Weekly’s Shop With Us team. The Shop With Us team aims to highlight products and services our readers might find interesting and useful, such as wedding-guest outfits, purses, plus-size swimsuits, women’s sneakers, bridal shapewear, and perfect gift ideas for everyone in your life. Product and service selection, however, is in no way intended to constitute an endorsement by either Us Weekly or of any celebrity mentioned in the post.

The Shop With Us team may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. In addition, Us Weekly receives compensation from the manufacturer of the products we write about when you click on a link and then purchase the product featured in an article. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product or service is featured or recommended. Shop With Us operates independently from the advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback at ShopWithUs@usmagazine.com. Happy shopping!

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‘Babylon’ stars Margot Robbie, Jean Smart fear deepfakes: ‘Year 3000 porn’

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3 months ago

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December 23, 2022

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Jean Smart and Margot Robbie aren’t so fond of advanced technology in Hollywood.

During promotion for the film “Babylon” — which documents the rise and fall of characters in 1920s Hollywood — the cast of the movie was asked what they believe will be the next big shift in Tinseltown.

In Entertainment Weekly’s “Around the Table” video series, almost all the actors who joined — including Robbie, Smart, Brad Pitt, Diego Calva, Jovan Adepo and Li Jun Li — agreed they were concerned about deepfakes.

Deepfakes use artificial intelligence to manipulate videos and replace the likeness of one person with another.

Margot Robbie and Diego Calva in “Babylon.”
Scott Garfield/Paramount Pictures via AP

“Are they just going to take our faces, and we won’t even be going to work anymore?” Robbie, 32, said.

“So creepy,” Pitt, 59, chimed in.

Smart echoed the concern but pointed out that their likeness can be used even after they’re gone.

“Or after you’re dead, they’ll go, ‘Oh, let’s put Margot Robbie in that movie’ — a hundred years from now, having her doing God knows what. And your estate will have to sue them. It’ll be horrible, Margot,” the 71-year-old actress said.

Margot Robbie, left, and Li Jun Li in "Babylon."
Margot Robbie and Li Jun Li in “Babylon.”
Paramount Pictures via AP

The “Hacks” star continued saying that she’s troubled by seeing Marilyn Monroe in TV commercials and Fred Astaire in Coke commercials due to the technology in Hollywood — and said she will not be OK with her likeness being used after she’s dead.

“Unless my kids are getting rich off it. Of course. In that case, then it’s all right,” Smart quipped.

But there’s one thing that is absolutely off the table for Smart’s likeness.

“I don’t want to be in a year-3000 porn,” she added.

Jean Smart in "Babylon."
Jean Smart said she will not be OK with her likeness being used after she’s dead.
Scott Garfield/Paramount Pictures via AP

Meanwhile, some celebrities are already using deepfakes for projects.

Back in September, it was reported that an AI platform created a “digital twin” of Bruce Willis, who was diagnosed with aphasia — a brain disorder that affects his ability to communicate, which will allow him to appear on screen after his retirement from acting.

The “Die Hard” actor’s deepfake already made its debut in August 2021 when his face was “grafted” onto Konstantin Solovyov for a commercial for MegaFon, a Russian telecommunications company.

His estate has the final say on what’s created with his face.

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Erika Jayne is spotted in LA as she sports a pale blue sweatsuit and sunglasses during shopping trip

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3 months ago

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December 23, 2022

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Make-up free Erika Jayne shops for expensive Christmas gifts at luxury store Hermès in LA – amid the RHOBH star’s money woes

Erika Jayne went without makeup as she shopped in Los Angeles days before Christmas.

The fashionista was low-key as she wore a pair of oversized glossy black rectangle-shaped sunglasses. 

The 51-year-old Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star – who has been battling money woes ever since her ex husband was declared bankrupt – was dressed expensively in a pale blue Alexander Wang sweatsuit and sneakers.

Bare face: Erika Jayne went without makeup as she shopped in Los Angeles days before Christmas

The platinum blonde beauty wore her locks bone straight, styled in an undefined part as they cascaded over her shoulders.

She looked cozy in her crew neck top and matching loose-fitting sweats, which she coordinated with pale pink and blue sneakers. 

Erika carried an Hermès bag on her arm as she carried a small, bottled water with pristinely manicured hands.

She was out and about by herself as she fit in some retail therapy two days before Christmas.

Under the radar: The fashionista was low-key as she wore a pair of oversized glossy black rectangle-shaped sunglasses

Under the radar: The fashionista was low-key as she wore a pair of oversized glossy black rectangle-shaped sunglasses

Last weekend Erika got into the holiday spirit as she attended a Christmas party with friend and costar Lisa Rinna.

Both women flaunted their long, toned legs as they wore dresses to the event hosted by friend Sanela Diana Jenkins.

Jayne took to Instagram to share a snapshot from the gathering in which she and Lisa kicked their legs up.

‘This was the BEST Christmas party EVER!!!’ she wrote in the caption as the photo showed her in a luxe white fur coat.

Season's greetings: Last weekend Erika got into the holiday spirit as she attended a Christmas party with friend and costar Lisa Rinna

Season’s greetings: Last weekend Erika got into the holiday spirit as she attended a Christmas party with friend and costar Lisa Rinna

The fashion-forward socialite donned a pair of pointy-toe metallic purple heels as she sat in a chair designed to look like a sleigh.

Rinna was equally stylish in a cream blazer dress with a black satin collar and gold accoutrements set in a pattern.

She added a pair of knee-high black leather boots and carried a metallic gold clutch.

Erika finished her caption with a shoutout to Lisa as she wrote: ‘thanks for babysitting me and telling me what happened at the party.’

Looking great: The two gal pals were also spotted together earlier this month as they attended the 2022 People's Choice Awards with their Bravo TV castmates

Looking great: The two gal pals were also spotted together earlier this month as they attended the 2022 People’s Choice Awards with their Bravo TV castmates

The two gal pals were also spotted together earlier this month as they attended the 2022 People’s Choice Awards with their Bravo TV castmates. 

For her part, Erika wore a long, mock neck bodycon dress with a trendy, nude silhouette graphic design.

Rinna, who’s feuding with Kathy Hilton amid the RHOBH hiatus, donned a long black dress with a plunging neckline. 

Engaging with her 2.5 million followers on Instagram, Jayne shared photos and wrote in a caption: ‘I had fun last night.’

Hot! Erika wore a long, mock neck bodycon dress with a trendy, nude silhouette graphic design

Hot! Erika wore a long, mock neck bodycon dress with a trendy, nude silhouette graphic design

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