Dembinski: My new film depicts a stupid and ridiculous face of the regime
Liavon Volski and Pete Paulau do the comments in the flick to make it even more funny. The European Radio for Belarus has interviewed renowned Polish director Miroslaw Dembinski ahead of the Belarus premier of his new film Muzychnaya Partyzanka. On December 27, the headquarters of the Party of the Belarusian Popular Front in Minsk will host the premier of Polish director Miroslaw Dembinski's new film Muzychnaya Partyzanka. The flick narrates about the life of rock musicians banned in Belarus.
The shooting of the movie took place in the period from May 2005 through March 2006. The director spent all this time with the Belarusian musicians.
— What is your new film about?
— This film is about young Belarusians who fight for freedom and democracy against Lukashenka's regime. In this sense, it resembles the previous film The Lesson of the Belarusian Language. The theme remains somewhat the same, but from a different angle. The previous movie depicted the dreadful face of the regime. This film focuces on the stupid and ridiculous face of the regime. With the help of music, irony, humor and ironic distance, these young people show the absurd side of the situation they live in. I think that music is a very efficient weapon against any regime. People can be beaten during a rally and jailed, but music cannot be arrested. Even in jail, they continued singing. This is the main message of the film.
— Why is the Belarusian theme so interesting for you?
— I think this theme is of general interest, because the situation in Belarus is unusual for Europe. The whole Europe strives for democracy and freedom. New countries join the European Union, while Belarus remains the last outpost of the totalitarian system. The society in Belarus has no possibility of living in the conditions common in Europe. In this sense, it is interesting. Apart from that, I have a personal motivation. I compare today's situation in Belarus with what was happening in Poland 25 years ago during the communism, and I can see a lot of similarities. To me, it is somewhat a return to my young age.
— In your opinion, can such films help democracy in Belarus? Or, are they rather aimed at foreigners who don't know what is happening here?
— Naturally, if I did not believe that they made sense, I would not make them. I am convinced that it is necessary to narrate about what is going on in Belarus. This also helps Belarusians, because people can react, express solidarity, help and try to put pressure on the Belarusian regime when they are aware of the situation. Such films are also important for Belarusian viewers, because there is only one truth, Lukashenka's truth in Belarus. My films show the world from a different point of view. Therefore, they are important, because they give an alternative insight.
— Is there a main character like Franak Viachorka in The Lessons of the Belarusian Language?
— The structure of the film remained exactly the same. This time it will a young girl named Sveta, the former singer of Tarpach band, narrating the story. She takes us to the concerts she took part in. Those concerts build up the plot of the film. Additionally, there are two commentators -- Liavon Volski and Pete Paulau from N.R.M. who act as ironic opponents to Sveta and give their comments on the Belarusian situation: an ironic praise to the system created by Lukashenka. This adds humor to the whole film. This is the main difference from the previous movie.
N.R.M. recorded a new version of Three Turtles song which became the main soundtrack of the film.
The film will be screened at 19:00. The event is organized by the Culture Commission of the Party of the Belarusian Popular Front. You are welcome to win T-shirts and DVDsC with this movie during the screening.
The shooting of the movie took place in the period from May 2005 through March 2006. The director spent all this time with the Belarusian musicians.
— What is your new film about?
— This film is about young Belarusians who fight for freedom and democracy against Lukashenka's regime. In this sense, it resembles the previous film The Lesson of the Belarusian Language. The theme remains somewhat the same, but from a different angle. The previous movie depicted the dreadful face of the regime. This film focuces on the stupid and ridiculous face of the regime. With the help of music, irony, humor and ironic distance, these young people show the absurd side of the situation they live in. I think that music is a very efficient weapon against any regime. People can be beaten during a rally and jailed, but music cannot be arrested. Even in jail, they continued singing. This is the main message of the film.
— Why is the Belarusian theme so interesting for you?
— I think this theme is of general interest, because the situation in Belarus is unusual for Europe. The whole Europe strives for democracy and freedom. New countries join the European Union, while Belarus remains the last outpost of the totalitarian system. The society in Belarus has no possibility of living in the conditions common in Europe. In this sense, it is interesting. Apart from that, I have a personal motivation. I compare today's situation in Belarus with what was happening in Poland 25 years ago during the communism, and I can see a lot of similarities. To me, it is somewhat a return to my young age.
— In your opinion, can such films help democracy in Belarus? Or, are they rather aimed at foreigners who don't know what is happening here?
— Naturally, if I did not believe that they made sense, I would not make them. I am convinced that it is necessary to narrate about what is going on in Belarus. This also helps Belarusians, because people can react, express solidarity, help and try to put pressure on the Belarusian regime when they are aware of the situation. Such films are also important for Belarusian viewers, because there is only one truth, Lukashenka's truth in Belarus. My films show the world from a different point of view. Therefore, they are important, because they give an alternative insight.
— Is there a main character like Franak Viachorka in The Lessons of the Belarusian Language?
— The structure of the film remained exactly the same. This time it will a young girl named Sveta, the former singer of Tarpach band, narrating the story. She takes us to the concerts she took part in. Those concerts build up the plot of the film. Additionally, there are two commentators -- Liavon Volski and Pete Paulau from N.R.M. who act as ironic opponents to Sveta and give their comments on the Belarusian situation: an ironic praise to the system created by Lukashenka. This adds humor to the whole film. This is the main difference from the previous movie.
N.R.M. recorded a new version of Three Turtles song which became the main soundtrack of the film.
The film will be screened at 19:00. The event is organized by the Culture Commission of the Party of the Belarusian Popular Front. You are welcome to win T-shirts and DVDsC with this movie during the screening.
