2016 ‘Melānijas hronika’ Directed by Viesturs Kairišs
The 14th of June 1941, Soviet-occupied Latvia: Without warning, the authorities break into the house of Melanie and her husband Aleksandr and force them to leave everything behind. Together with more than 15 000 Latvians, Melanie and her son get deported to Siberia. In her fight against cold, famine and cruelty, she only gains new strength through the letters she writes to Aleksandr, full of hope for a free Latvia and a better tomorrow.
The Chronicles of Melanie (Melānijas hronika) is a Latvian biographical drama film directed by Viesturs Kairišs. It is based on the real life of Melānija Vanaga.
On June 15, 1941, Latvia was already occupied by the Soviet Union (as part of the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact signed in 1939). Melānija, her husband Aleksandrs and their son Andrejs are taken from their beds early in the morning by Soviet guards, taken to the trains and finally sent east, this event is known as the June deportation.
Melānija and Andrejs are separated from Aleksandrs and forced into a cattle car along with many other prisoners, all of them women and children. Melānija first believes their destination is a small Latvian border town, but the…
Wish Latvians would make movies about other things than war. But this shit is fucked up, and the truth is people living today are still capable of doing this shit. Left me feeling hopeless, were living so comfortable, and just thinking about the shit we worry, and shit they worried about, makes me sick. I hust want people to stop being jerks. What is their fucking problem. Seriously. Fuck them. Be nice. If anyone is interested in Latvian Kino i suggest this, the shots were actually good, and soundtrack was on point. One of Latvian best.
Filma būtu divtik spēcīga bez vārdiem – kā "mēmais kino", kur pašpietiekami drūmo stāstu, brīnišķīgo operatora un komponista darbu nebojātu aktieru dialogi. Precīzāk izsakoties, to neesamība.
Iespējams, ņemot vērā lielās ekspektācijas, vērtējums ir maķenīt zemāks nekā pienākas, tomēr jāskatās patiesībai acīs. Laiks, kad varēja priecāties par to vien, ka latviešu filma izskatās un skan kā īsta filma, jau sen ir garām. Tas pats attiecībā uz tematiku - par tautas ciešanu epizodēm kinematogrāfisku refleksiju netrūkst, kur nu vēl par deportācijām, galu galā Dzintra Geka ar to nodarbojas dokumentālajā kino jau desmitiem gadu... Tāpēc nekritiski priecāties vienkārši par faktu, ka ir uzņemts vizuāli pievilcīgs un depresīvs vēsturisks komikss, kuru dzīvu personāžu vietā aizpilda staigājošie miroņi un kurā faktiski nav ne sižeta, ne sakarīga vēstījuma, es īsti neredzu pamata. Protams, ka gribējās, lai filma būtu mākslinieciski izdevusies, lai tā aizkustinātu, šausminātu vai kā citādi rezonētu sirdī/prātā, bet sevi mānīt…
Ļoti iespējams, ka man vienkārši nepietiek empātijas, bet šī ir kārtējā latviešu gaudulīgā filma par to, kādi mēs esam nabadziņi. Grāmatas saldsērīgums ignorēts, šķiet, apzināti.
Bet nedrīkst taču neko sliktu teikt par izsūtījuma tēmu, vai ne? Noēdīs mani bez sāls.
Tāpēc neteikšu neko, izņemot - Sabīnes Timoteo seja ir brīnišķīga. Uz internetā izskanējušo sūdzību "vai tad latviešiem nav aktrises, kas būtu varējusi spēlēt galveno lomu?!?!?!" atbilde ir - "nē, nav".
Haotiski stāstīts stāsts, kas liek just žēlumu par varones likteni, taču nekādā veidā neļauj mums līdzpārdzīvot, nerisina attiecības un visādā ziņā baidās Melāniju padarīt par ko mazāk kā svētu figūru. Tik daudz epizožu norisinās bez nekāda konteksta, ka konstanti tiekam atrauti no mēģinājuma dzīvot stāstu un vienkārši mēģinam saprast: "kas vispār šeit notiek?"
Filmas skaņas apstrāde ir ārkārtīgi zemā kvalitātē (nesaprotu māksliniecisko pamatojumj likt asinhroni pārrunātas balsis, kas skan caur skārdu), lai gan daži skaņas mākslinieciskie risinājumi, kā elpas izmantošasna, ir diezgan interesanti, bet kontekstā ar citām kļūdām neļauj sasniegt vēlamo efektu. Arī attēla kvalitāte vairākkārt ir vāja (daudzkārt tieši tā apstrāde vai ekspozīcija ir asi kritizējama).
Aktierdarbs galvenokārt ļoti labs, īpaši galvenās varones un viņas dēla lomu atveidotāju.
Aizņemamies visādas smukas detaļas no ārzemju arthouse bet aizmirstam par tādām nodrāztām un nevienam nevajadzīgām lietām kā 'stāsts' un 'aktieri'.
A tough film to watch, but hugely important for revealing the plight of a people and the past hurts and struggle that still remain. The film has an introspective feel, never hurrying through the trauma and the horror but also taking the time to really explore some subtle moments of beauty amidst the pain as well. The cinematography and filmwork in this film are both exceptional, using all of the elements from nature to music to tone and aesthetic to draw out this emotional journey in a way that makes sense of what feels unfathomable. It's suprising to me to hear myself saying that this is one I want to revisit, but it's simply that impressive in its performances and its construction.
In any case, these are the kinds of stories that we should ensure we never forget and deserve this kind of treatment. True art with a voice and an ability to make that voice heard.
Same old Soviet occupation & deportation story with some unusual choices here and there but has nothing particularly interesting to offer. We need to stop with these until there is something fresh to say about it.
Going Worldwide #14: Latvia
Serious Come And See vibes here. Though no one gets burnt alive in a barn, it's still a brutal, infinitely bleak, nightmarish and a horrifying look at one of the myriad unseen horrors of World War II (particularly in Eastern Europe). The stark black and white cinematography is incredible, but the film is about 30 minutes too long and though this is based on a (heartbreaking) true story, the languid pace dulls the effect.
I was very lucky to see this movie on the world premier in Riga tonight. A very impressive testament to history of my nation crippled by the soviet regime and survived inspite of that.
I think that not only every latvian should see it, but actually everyone at least in Europe to understand what Eastern Europe nations have gone through. Not to pitty us. We don't need any pitty. Just to understand us better
OT: World War I film, shot in black and white, melodramatic and not particularly outstanding in any particular way. Acting is a bit blah.
