A poetry film employing Sparta as an autobiographical metaphor.
Poem & video: Tova Beck-Friedman
Sound: freesound.org
I Was Born in Sparta
I was born in a country
that lives by its sword
I was born in a country
where armed conflicts
Is a way of life
I was born in Sparta
in Sparta
everyone — a warrior
everyone — a combatant
trained through bloodshed
of permanent wars
united in fear of an enemy
brandishing weapons
in a never-ending bloodshed
whimpering on the road to oblivion
I was born in Sparta
and for Sparta — I shed my tears
Screening
Fotogenia Film Festival, Mexico City, Mexico, November 2025