Slavic Film Odyssey 2012
Andriej Kudinienko, Ivan Vyrypayev, Xawery Żuławski. A triple portrait following the process of filmmaking in Belarus, Poland and Russia. In the background - the legendary studios: Belarusfilm, Lodz, Mosfilm.
A new generation of filmmakers enter old ateliers. The characters are the most promising film directors of their countries, artists with successful first features, trying to make their next movies. They share the same passion, but they face very different realities. All of them work in the legendary studios: Belarusfilm, Lodz, Mosfilm. The biggest film factories in Slavic lands had their time of glory in Communism era. Now they belong to three different worlds. The Belarussian director was duly warned not to raise any political issues. The Russian filmaker speaks about spirituality but the money for the movie comes from a private vodka producer. The director from Poland is delaying his next movie because of a loan, to be paid off by hard work on a TV series. The plot is based on observations by a friend-documentalist.
A new generation of filmmakers enter old ateliers. The characters are the most promising film directors of their countries, artists with successful first features, trying to make their next movies. They share the same passion, but they face very different realities. All of them work in the legendary studios: Belarusfilm, Lodz, Mosfilm. The biggest film factories in Slavic lands had their time of glory in Communism era. Now they belong to three different worlds. The Belarussian director was duly warned not to raise any political issues. The Russian filmaker speaks about spirituality but the money for the movie comes from a private vodka producer. The director from Poland is delaying his next movie because of a loan, to be paid off by hard work on a TV series. The plot is based on observations by a friend-documentalist.
On the Edge of the Snow
Mullo was born in a remote Tajik mountain village far from civilization, in the isolated highlands of Yaghnob. This tiny Central Asian nation had been living there for centuries, since the times of Alexander the Great until recently, saving intact their ancient language and culture, having no schools, hospitals, shops, money or even tap water.
In the 1970s the Soviet authorities deported the entire tribe of the Yaghnobi to the hot deserted lowlands to cultivate cotton. Mullo was 9 years old then.
Today Mullo still lives in the lowlands, in the decayed city of Zafarobod, works as a mullah, a teacher of Arabic and a baker simultaneously and has a big Muslim family.
He is obsessed with the dream of returning to the lost paradise of his childhood, despite the conflict and hardships it will create in his family.
We are following his preparations for the trip to Yaghnob (where there are already a few families who returned after the collapse of the Soviet Union); the strains it imposes on his family (his young son is unwilling to follow his father's “sacred mission” and Mullo's brother is skeptical about all the Yagnobi “sweet memories”); and eventually, the long and difficult return to his homeland and hardships Mullo will encounter after he settles down and rebuilds the house of his ancestors.
In the 1970s the Soviet authorities deported the entire tribe of the Yaghnobi to the hot deserted lowlands to cultivate cotton. Mullo was 9 years old then.
Today Mullo still lives in the lowlands, in the decayed city of Zafarobod, works as a mullah, a teacher of Arabic and a baker simultaneously and has a big Muslim family.
He is obsessed with the dream of returning to the lost paradise of his childhood, despite the conflict and hardships it will create in his family.
We are following his preparations for the trip to Yaghnob (where there are already a few families who returned after the collapse of the Soviet Union); the strains it imposes on his family (his young son is unwilling to follow his father's “sacred mission” and Mullo's brother is skeptical about all the Yagnobi “sweet memories”); and eventually, the long and difficult return to his homeland and hardships Mullo will encounter after he settles down and rebuilds the house of his ancestors.