The film industry in Buryatia has plenty of acute problems: political intrigues, the absence of a republican film commission. The Ministry of Culture of the Republic ignores the proposals of filmmakers and does not develop regional cinematography. Filmmakers do not understand the situation with the allocation of subsidies from the republican budget for the production and distribution of national films.
Babr interviewed the chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Buryatia, the general director of the film company “Asia Films” Artyom Burlov. In this article, readers will learn about the key problems of Buryat cinema, the prospects for their solution, the filming of the film “Buryat in European cinema” and the features of Mongolian films.
You are the chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Buryatia. What are you doing in this position to develop the local film industry? How does your political activity affect it?
A lot of work has been done, while it is not paid by anyone and has no budget allocations. In my opinion, she should not have them: I do not aspire to become an official or an employee of a subordinate institution of our government.
Throughout the country, since 2015, 13 municipal cinemas have been opened with subsidies from the Cinema Fund, the national project “Culture”. This is my theme, I promote it and break through in remote settlements: Orlik, Severobaikalsk, Kizhinga, Yeravna, and so on. There were no cinemas in these settlements, now they are, and the repertoire does not differ from big cities, 3D movies are shown. This is important for the Buryat film community, because new markets for film products are being formed. They allow making film production local, internal. For example, a film in the Yakut language will pay off in Yakutia, because it has a developed network of cinemas.
Also, our films participated in a charity film marathon, the proceeds of which were directed to support the families of the mobilized. In this regard, I am often asked a provocative question: “Do you support the decision of the authorities?” The Union of Cinematographers supports the families of people who were forced to be left without a breadwinner. I myself talked with families in the villages, where a peasant was abruptly taken from the family, and they have neither firewood nor horseradish.
In addition, the Asia Films film company opened the Baikal Film School, 1200 children starred in films for children and youth. This gave reason to say that in 2023 Ulan-Ude will host the Golden Seal International Film Festival for Children and Youth. Beyond the Urals, there is not a single similar film festival for children’s films.
Why are we now seeing an outflow of people to the West, abroad? Understandably, they are afraid. But even these people were brought up in the 90s on Western films, they have in their subconscious that it is better in the West, there is more money, cars, girls are more beautiful, and so on. This should not be allowed, so our company pays great attention to children’s films.
The Union of Cinematographers also wants to open a film commission in Buryatia. It is a body subordinated to the state administration, which allows you to receive services related to the production of films and commercials in one window. That is, the cinematographer came to Buryatia, for example, from St. Petersburg, and he was immediately provided with equipment, film locations, accommodation, and food. He spent money in the region and received compensation from the local budget from 20 to 40%. This is the Hollywood system, it works in neighboring Irkutsk, in Vladivostok. In Buryatia, they do not want to introduce it simply because of the stupidity of officials and interpersonal conflicts between me and them.
This is how my political activity is reflected in this work, officials see me as an enemy. For them, I’m not shaking hands, so you can’t implement any projects with me, suddenly they will scold them from above, Zuraev will come running, and so on. Officials forget that they are servants of the people. Therefore, they have to be forced to do their job with the help of laws.
As you know, a common film commission is being created for the Far Eastern Federal District, which will be headed by Yakutia. What is the purpose of its creation?
The film commission of the Far Eastern Federal District will be opened in 2023. Now proposals are being formed in all regions. That is, it will provide services throughout the entire Far East, including Buryatia. Now the Yakuts are asking for information from all filmmakers in the regions: what are the locations and equipment, opportunities to attract filmmakers to the regions.
In January 2019, the filmmakers of Buryatia split, which resulted in dual power: two film unions appeared. How was this situation eventually resolved and what did it lead to?
Bair Nikolaevich Dyshenov acted very ugly. He seems to have created an alternative union, received money from the republican budget for various projects, and immediately liquidated the legal entity and closed his Union. I get the impression that this whole story was made to master some budgets. The films for which Bair Dyshenov received funds were not released and were not even filmed.
Director Bair Dyshenov
How did you manage to create a second Union of Cinematographers with an already functioning organization with that name? Thanks to the support of the Ministry of Culture of Buryatia?
The Alternative Union was originally created to destroy our projects, proposals and initiatives with which we approached the head of Buryatia, Alexei Tsydenov, when he first came to power in the republic. After Dyshenov closed his Union and himself retired. And now he is nowhere to be seen or heard. The activities of Bair Dyshenov are also subject to investigation by the internal affairs bodies. They are now reviewing all subsidies given to the alternative Union of Cinematographers. Lygdenov, Dyshenov, Uladaev, even Botoev, who had nothing to do with it, fell under the batch.
Imagine that I am an aspiring Buryat director who wants to make a film. Where should I go for filming help?
Firstly, according to the law, one should apply to the Ministry of Culture of Buryatia, because it is the executive authority that carries out its activities in the field of cinematography. The agency will provide the legal acts by which it is guided. These are three decrees of the government of Buryatia: No. 600 refers to subsidizing the production of documentaries, No. 650 – feature films, and No. 169 specifies the procedure for subsidizing the rental of finished films. In theory, the department should explain the nuances of obtaining state support.
Secondly, you can absolutely free of charge contact the Union for advice on any issue related to the field of cinema. For example, about the production of a film and paperwork for distribution. There were cases when we carried out absolutely free rental. At the beginning of 2022, the film “B – Russian” was released. We were engaged in its rental, attracted municipal cinemas and so on.
At what stage of production is the film “Buryat in European cinema”?
In the summer we closed the shooting in Paris. We closed shooting in Bohan, but there will be additional shooting. In Ulan-Ude, they also finished filming.
Did the closing of the borders prevent filming in France?
We managed to film everything, but I’m going to go there again, I have an invitation.
How can you evaluate Mongolian cinema? He is now actively gaining momentum.
We worked with the cinematography of Mongolia back in 2016, dubbed the Mongolian film “Brothers”, which was released in Russia. It is developing rapidly, the Mongols are helped by Chinese money, Korean specialists. In addition, they have a successful legacy – “Mongolkino”. This is a film studio created in the image and likeness of Mosfilm at the beginning of the 20th century, when cinema was just emerging. Therefore, Mongolia has a very big potential. Whether they will be able to enter the Russian market is another question, because today the entire Mongolian cinema is focused on the Asian audience: Korea, China, Mongolia itself.
Frame from the movie `Brothers`
What would you personally recommend to watch from the Mongolian cinema?
The last movie I watched was Veins of the World, it was nominated for an Oscar in 2021. I watched it in the original translation with a Mongol who stopped the film and translated the phrases. A very good movie.
What do you like the most about being a director? What frankly infuriates her?
I like cinema in general as a direction. It attracts all kinds of professions, all kinds of art: music, artists, actors, directors, and so on. Filmmaking itself is quite high-tech, from special effects to the latest features of graphic design and the use of neural networks. But there are also simple moves, invented back in the 20th century, which operators still use. For example, the Itygilov effect, which is still used by Quentin Tarantino. This is an effect in camera art, invented by Alexander Itygilov, our fellow countryman.
I like the opportunity to tell this or that story with the help of artistic techniques and methods, the opportunity to influence the viewer. Even if now I’m not understood. For example, I shot the film “In Conscience” back in 2017.
Is this a documentary?
No, it is playful, with the participation of children who were serving sentences. Now he has received a second birth, he has a large number of views on the Internet. Even in the past charity film marathon, most people came to the film “In Conscience”. But I don’t like that a big responsibility still gnaws. For example, I am not allowed into the saunas of Ulan-Ude, such is the other side of the coin.
What is your favorite Buryat film?
Probably the movie “Buuzy”. It didn’t turn out the way it was originally envisioned. It should be more related to Sagaalgan, a family holiday. But I still like him because he is kind.
Previously on Babra:
“It’s never too late to sit down loudly”: Artyom Burlov on corruption in Buryatia
Burlov against the head of the Ministry of Culture of Buryatia: how the director undermines the reputation of Dagaeva
Photo: minkultrb.ru, RCNT press service, Natalia Chemashkina, gordburyatia.ru, infpol.ru
You can suggest your topic and contact the editors of Babr in Buryatia at [email protected]
Source
