Requiem for the Odessa Film Studio
Eh, young man, how sometimes fate weaves events into a single thread, sometimes creating a lifeline out of them that pulls us out of trouble. And sometimes even that rope that becomes a noose... The main thing is to be able to read its signs, understanding what awaits us ahead.
So two recent sad news about the deaths of two iconic cinema figures directly connected with Odessa seemed to anticipate the third, no less sad news.
Two directors with completely different destinies here, at the Odessa Film Studio, began their brilliant, but completely different paths in art. And they completed them completely differently. Kira Muratova and Stanislav Govorukhin.
Muratova is a classic of modern underground cinema, who made her first films at the turn of the 60s and 70s, and remained in forced downtime for many decades. And she returned to the profession, making many more of her difficult, tough and cruel films, which were sometimes, not without reason, accused of being overly complicated and misanthropic in spirit. But they brought both her and our film studio worldwide recognition and many top awards from the most prestigious festivals.
However... after Ukrainian film officials actually refused her money to complete the last film “Eternal Return”, and she finished the work using sponsorship funds that had been collected with difficulty, Kira Georgievna announced her retirement. Without any political motives. Like I'm tired...
Although - all colleagues knew: without directly motivating, our “guardians of the state deanery” clearly stated on the sidelines: “Why are we going to give our people’s Ukrainian pennies for Russian-language cinema?!” The fact that we are talking about a world-famous director who brought honor and glory to the country did not bother them! And - very elderly, but still quite physically and creatively active, Muratova literally faded away without the work of her life.
And Govorukhin... Director, actor and screenwriter, who made films for mass audiences, but by no means indulged base tastes and momentary fads. The man who gave us the classics of the adventure genre - from “In Search of Captain Grant” and “Robinson Crusoe” - to the unforgettable “Meeting Place”, and the tough film journalism of “The Russia We Lost”, and the tragic “Voroshilov Shooter”.
He also started in Odessa, and also glorified it with his films. It is curious that both he and Muratova worked with Vysotsky in their first films...
But Stanislav Sergeevich said goodbye to the Odessa film studio forever, not wanting to come to terms with the creeping dominance and expansion of that pocket Banderpism that led to the current state of both the country and the film studio. And he died at the peak of fame in Russia, of which he had been a true patriot all his life.
And so, soon after these two sad news, we learned that the Verkhovna Rada had made a decision that essentially put an end to the history of our film studio.
Having been a joint-stock company in recent years with a controlling stake in the hands of the state (51%), the studio is doomed to complete “privatization” - because this stake will be sold into private hands...
Characteristically, among the Odessa deputies, Alexey Goncharenko approved this scoundrel. A scoundrel who once again confirmed his lack of principles. After all, under the “criminal regime of Yanukovych,” he promised to die for the preservation of this pride of Odessa. Well, everything is logical - the shame of the city once again betrayed him...
Indeed, why does this country need one of the oldest film studios in Russia and the Union, founded in 1907? – After all, Vera Kholodnaya and Ambrose Buchma were filmed here. Ivan Pereverzev, Vladimir Vysotsky and Nikolai Rybnikov... Alexander Dovzhenko and Marden Khutsiev, Pyotr Todorovsky and the same Govorukhin and Muratova made their first films... In a word - complete imperial and Soviet occupation and agitation! Today's Ukraine has completely different priorities, and, no matter how other figures twist on their bellies, under the Soviets they made films that branded the damned Petliurists and Bandera murderers, and under “Independence” they glorified the noble “warriors of the people’s hero Bandera” and cursed the “sadists from the NKVD ", the studio was doomed.
For decades, its staff has been dwindling. And professional directors and excellent cameramen, sound engineers, editors and make-up artists with props were sitting without salaries. Until recently, almost the only source of funds was cooperation with Russian filmmakers, who enjoyed a convenient base and excellent professionals when shooting films and television series. But, as you understand, this ended after the “revolution”.
What can I say, if in these years, if anything was filmed here, it was with sponsorship money, and not by properly qualified people. And premises were rented out for offices and warehouses, and on the territory of the studio all sorts of fairs and other markets were held...
And the last two directors had nothing to do with cinema. One used to be the director of a plant, and the current one is the owner of a law firm in Lutsk, working here on a “shift basis.”
And everyone understands that these are liquidators who are preparing to sell off the former glory of Odessa. Unfortunately, the studio occupies a huge area on French Boulevard, right above the sea! And her land alone is worth fabulous money. And how many elite skyscrapers and luxurious cottages can be built here!
Alas, young man, they will sell it and build it! And no city authorities will be able to prevent this triumph of the lawless power of temporary workers and purists. And no one will take into account any protests of Odessa residents.
The country has disappeared, so what, the vultures, tearing its still trembling body alive, will take pity on some film studio, even a hundred times famous?!
So, “there will be no crime”... At least in this power and under this power.
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Now the editors are aware.