Date: 25 October 2008 | Season: London Film Festival 2008 | Tags: London Film Festival
ALINA RUDNITSKAYA
Saturday 25 October 2008, at 7pm
London BFI Southbank NFT3
Alina Rudnitskaya’s humanistic approach to documentary filmmaking often brings out the humour in her chosen subjects. As an introduction to her work, this programme depicts three diverse groups of contemporary Russian women.
Alina Rudnitskaya, Amazons, Russia, 2003, 20 min
A sensitive portrait of an unusual urban phenomenon: a troupe of independent and strong-minded girls who keep horses in the heart of St Petersburg. Amazons follows a new volunteer as she tries to find her place within the group dynamic.
Alina Rudnitskaya, Besame Mucho, Russia, 2006, 27 min
With music providing an escape from their duties as veterinarians, nurses and cleaners, the amateur chorus of a provincial town rehearse songs from Verdi’s ‘Aida’. Close bonds are formed, but in true diva style, relationships within the choir are frequently inharmonious.
Alina Rudnitskaya, Bitch Academy, Russia, 2008, 29 min
An improbable symbol of modern Russia is displayed in this tragicomic verité on the aspirations of young women. In a progressive twist on assertiveness training, a middle-aged, paunchy Casanova (who surely loves his job) gives classes on how to seduce the male using role play, styling critiques and sexy dancing. The ultimate goal is to hitch a millionaire, and though there’s much humour in the situation, occasional tears and telling looks remind us that the insecurities of real lives are being laid bare.
PROGRAMME NOTES
ALINA RUDNITSKAYA
Saturday 25 October 2008, at 7pm
London BFI Southbank NFT3
AMAZONS
Alina Rudnitskaya, Russia 2003, 35mm, colour, sound, 20 min
A cinematic portrait of a strange urban phenomenon: female equestrians who make a living by riding horses in the city streets and dogmatically oppose the participation of men. The inside story of these urban Amazons is shown through the eyes of a rookie team member. (Shadow Festival, Amsterdam)
BESAME MUCHO
Alina Rudnitskaya, Russia, 2006, video, colour, sound, 27 min
An amateur women’s choir in the provincial Russian town Tikhvin rehearses the opera ‘Aida’. In the daytime these women – heroes of the film – have ordinary life, work in the shops, remove the garbage, load goods on trucks, overcome the illnesses, but in the evenings they are carried away in absolutely different world. Their lives are filled with dreams, expectations of something bigger, brighter, that will help them to fly away from their ordinary life that is hard sometimes. The brief visit of the Italian delegation for which they rehearsed the opera underlines their illusions. The film is full with sadness and humour, which is true to the atmosphere of Russian village life in these times. (St. Petersburg Documentary Film Studio)
BITCH ACADEMY
Alina Rudnitskaya, Russia, 2008, video, colour, sound, 29 min
There were times, when ‘bitch’ had a negative connotation, but today it has become a real brand. ‘Bitch’ has become an example to follow for modern woman, an ideal image of our days. Most women older than 15 try to learn how to be a bitch. Who is a vixen, a modern bitch? How to become successful women? What does it mean to be a woman? What is ‘women’s nature’ and ‘women’s spirit’? Is it possible for a women to achieve, to succeed in this life without crossing ethical borders? A vixen is not a hysterical woman or capricious fool or envious snake. A vixen is a woman that follows her own desires but not someone’s advice, she is independent and relies on herself only, she knows what she wants from life and men, she doesn’t follow common stereotypes, she knows men’s ‘weak’ points, and what is more – she has her inner freedom. The main shooting technique used in this film is a method of observation. Over time, the camera didn’t attract attention to itself, leaving the subjects comfortable and behaving in a natural way. This film pretends to be called ‘the best documentary comedy’ about women. (St. Petersburg Documentary Film Studio)
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