The actor/director known for films such as The Social Network, Now You See Me, and Zombieland, filmed parts of his latest project, A Real Pain, in his ancestral town of Krasnystaw earlier this year.
Eisenberg first visited the town over 15 years ago to trace his Jewish roots after discovering that his great-grandmother had been born there.
The trip inspired his latest film, which he dubbed a ‘love letter to Poland.’
Announcing the decision to make him an honorary citizen, the town’s mayor Daniel Miciuła said: “Jesse Eisenberg visited our town in 2007 in search of his family roots.
“He visited Krasnystaw again in 2023 to film his latest film ‘A Real Pain,’ which is his tribute to his maternal great-grandmother.
“The woman was born and lived in Krasnystaw, and before the outbreak of World War II she emigrated to the United States.”
Filmed entirely in Poland, Eisenberg’s road-movie ‘Real Pain’ tells the story of two mismatched Jewish cousins—David (played by Eisenberg) and Benji (played by Culkin)—who travel across the country in search of the pre-Holocaust life of their recently deceased grandmother.
The road trip sees the pair visit Warsaw, Łódż, Krasnystaw, and Lublin, during which they uncover previously unknown places and facts about their ancestors as well as about their strained relationship.
They also visit the harrowing site of the former Nazi death camp Majdanek, leading them to question their private pains compared to the suffering of the camp’s victims.
The American premiere of A Real Pain is scheduled for November 1, followed by its Polish premiere on November 4 at the 22nd Jewish Film Festival in Warsaw.
Critics have praised the film for its poignant exploration of complicated family dynamics against the backdrop of Eastern European history.