Belarus
American Documentary Showcase: Belarus
October 21–30, 2011
Filmmakers: Jen Gilomen, Sally Rubin
Delegate Expert: Betsy McLane
Cities: Minsk
View Photos
Delegate Report
By Betsy McLane
Executive Summary:
The 2011 American Documentary Showcase delegation to Belarus was of special importance, given the general lack of freedom of speech and a free press there. My pre-departure research had made it clear that this is a country that can greatly benefit from the Showcase’s mission, and I expected there to be challenges to achieving our goals. I also knew that we would have support from the U.S. Embassy, especially since Belarus hosted a very successful Showcase program in 2009. As the delegate expert, I traveled with Jen Gilomen and Sally Rubin, the filmmakers of Deep Down.
October 21–30: Minsk
When we all arrived in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, we were met by the staff driver for the U.S. Embassy, who took us to our hotel in the center of the city. We were able to rest for a day before beginning what would turn out to be a deeply fulfilling and educational experience.
The US Embassy in Belarus is in a particularly challenging situation. The embassy staff is limited to only four people (not including security and foreign service nationals). In March 2008, Ambassador Karen Stewart was formally “recalled for consultations.” However, the BBC and other news outlets reported that Ambassador Stewart was expelled after a disagreement over travel restrictions to the United States imposed by the US government on the Belarusan president. The decision was also prompted by US sanctions imposed on the country’s state-controlled oil-processing and chemicals company. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry announced at the same time that it was recalling its own ambassador to the US. The nominally elected authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, rules the country in much the same way when Belarus was part of the USSR. Human rights abuses by his government are also central to its isolation. With this situation as its background, the Showcase delegation to Belarus took on a special importance.
Our hosts treated all three of us with great warmth and unstinting hospitality. The program was excellently organized, well promoted, and supported by everyone involved, especially Public Affairs Officer Carrie K. Lee. The embassy staff worked closely with their partner, the Pobeda (which means “victory”) Movie Theatre and its redoubtable leader, Svetlana, to present six consecutive nights of our American Documentary Showcase films. The titles screened were Automorphosis, Louder Than a Bomb, Kids with Cameras, Freedom Riders, It’s About You: John Mellencamp, as well as Deep Down. Each night, from October 24 to 29, a different film was screened in a large, comfortable auditorium with remarkably good digital projection and very good sound.
The audiences for this mini-American documentary festival were large, ranging from 250 to 350 people. I was delighted and a bit surprised that so many individuals attended. The film that drew the largest crowd was Stanley Nelson’s Freedom Riders, but each found its own audience. Some of the attendees came to every screening, and we began to see familiar friendly faces. I did a brief introduction before each program and then conducted a question-and-answer session after each screening. Of course, Jen and Sally provided a much deeper contextualization for their film Deep Down.
The varied and interesting delegation program also included a special screening, followed by film discussions hosted by InfoUSA centers at Borisov Central District Library and Minsk Regional Library, which is named after the Russian poet Alexandre Pushkin. We also presented Deep Down and discussed, with students and faculty at the Belarusian State University, the latest trends in documentary filmmaking, including tips on mobile phone filmmaking from Jen and Sally, among other topics. Another event took place inside the Embassy with alumni of US/Belarusan educational programs.
I was particularly touched when, following the formal presentation, a gentleman approached me to ask how he could make a film to further his project: establishing an official “Father’s Day” for Belarus. He has been working on this endeavor for three years, and he felt that he was getting a positive response from the government about it. As a result, he wanted to make a film to further his cause. Hopefully, the very general advice I was able to offer will help him to achieve this goal.
For me, one of our most interesting activities was a visit to the national film studio, Belarus Film. This rare invitation was specially arranged at my request, and we were privileged to be hosted by Oleg Silvanovich, the general director, and a gentleman of the old school. He and I discussed the work of Robert Flaherty, Dziga Vertov, Steven Spielberg and Sergei Eisenstein, despite the fact that neither of us spoke the other’s language.
This studio remains physically much as it was during the Soviet era, although it functions without the state money that the USSR poured into large-scale filmmaking. Like most of the filmmakers and studios supported by the USSR, Belarus Film now faces great difficulty in maintaining its facilities, paying a staff, accessing new technologies, and selling its product.
We toured two cavernous sound stages, one of which was in the process of set construction, where a delightful special-effects prop was the skeleton of a mini-zeppelin, approximately 20 feet x 12 feet. Though it was exciting to see stacks of film cans, rigging, some lighting and call boards, and feel the history of old Soviet-style filmmaking there, it was also sad to see the neglect of the physical plant. Nevertheless, the two women documentary filmmakers who guided our tour were lively and obviously extremely dedicated. They told us that the studio employs about 26 people in its documentary department, most of whom screen their work on state-run television.
The state still supplies some funding for the studio, but a large portion of its income now comes from renting facilities, equipment, and especially props to filmmakers from outside Belarus. Extraordinarily, Belarus Film apparently has an enormous collection of World War II uniforms, equipment from many armies, etc., which are in demand for pictures set during that period. The studio also maintains a very large backlot—permanent exterior buildings—outside of Minsk that is used for location shooting.
In contrast to the Belarus Film staff, we met members of the independent documentary community at a lovely luncheon that took place at a currently vacant embassy residence, hosted by Carrie Lee. These are filmmakers who work outside of the studio purview. Each individual seems to be highly independent and energetic. Though they are no longer young, they have managed to adapt to recent and often changing economic and social situations in Belarus, and they shared with us many stories of their production adventures. Also present was Igor Sukmanove, feature film program director of the annual Minsk International Film Festival “Listapad” (Listapad refers to the falling leaves of November) that would take place the week after our visit.
“Listapad” is the largest film festival in Belarus, featuring international as well as local documentaries and fiction films, with Russia, Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltics and Central-Asian countries comprising the main competition films. Unfortunately, we didn’t have sufficient time to get to know him and his festival better, but he too, was imbued with energy and immense passion for cinema. Galina Adamovich, one of the filmmakers we met at this luncheon, received a special prize for her documentary The Nun at the festival. She was kind enough to share her film with us, and hopefully, I can follow up to create closer contacts between the festival and the American documentary community.
Delegate Report
By Jen Gilomen and Sally Rubin
Executive Summary
Our documentary Deep Down: a story from the heart of coal country, tells the story of a small town in eastern Kentucky over a two-year period, as it struggles against a company that intends to mine for coal through a highly destructive process known as mountaintop removal. The film, which we presented at the American Documentary Showcase delegation to Belarus, profiles Beverly May, who leads her community in a successful fight to stop this type of mining in the town’s backyard, while her lifelong friend Terry Ratliff considers signing away his ancestral land in order to pay his bills. Deep Down underscores the power of community organizing and democracy to create change.
We spent a total of six days visiting with Belarusian filmmakers, students, professors, librarians, community members, artists, activists, and environmentalists at a series of screenings at libraries, theaters, high schools, and universities.
We spent the entire week in Minsk, which was built, with the exception of a handful of buildings, after World War II—known in the region as “The Great Patriotic War.” This steady stream of reconstruction has given rise to an entire city of massive buildings, wide promenades and huge avenues, all showcasing Soviet strength, power and wealth, as well as a subterranean nexus of walkways and shops.
The currency is the Belarusian ruble, which took a recent nosedive along with the country’s economy, and currently exchanges at about 8,250 rubles to the dollar. Therefore, the dollar goes a long way—except in the fancy malls and department stores, where imported goods of all kinds maintain surprisingly high premiums.
October 22–24: Minsk
We spent the long flight to Belarus catching up on the complex political history of the country, trying to understand the current state of the government and its leadership (and, in response, the silent protests in Minsk’s Oktober Square), as well as taking some initial stabs at learning the Russian alphabet and key Russian vocabulary. After we landed, a US Embassy driver took us to the Minsk Hotel, a 60-year-old accommodation from the post-World War II years. The hotel is two blocks away from an imposing KGB building, a striking visual reminder of the recent Soviet era.
On Sunday we met our wonderful host, Irina Ivleva from the US Embassy, and her lifelong friend and our translator, Irine Turovskaya (These two are known to the embassy staff as “the two Irinas.”). They gave us a tour of some of the capital city’s attractions, including a 20-foot statue of revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin in the town square near our hotel, and introduced us to samplings of the delicious Belarusian food we would come to love. Despite the cold and gray weather, we insisted on attending the regional championship soccer game at a stadium on the outskirts of town. This was a great way to get an immediate sense of the people and the subtleties of their culture (for example, each play at the soccer game was followed by a carefully orchestrated, collective cheer—which is different from the more independent reactions at sporting events in the United States).
On Monday we met the American Embassy staff, who included the two Irinas, Public Affairs Officer Carrie Lee and others. Delegate Expert Betsy McLane also joined us. The staff gave us a general overview of the week and briefed us on topics like sensitivity issues at screenings and how to handle certain questions, particularly about the government.
Following the meeting we went to the studio of Tut.By, an online streaming television network in Belarus. A journalist interviewed Betsy and us about Deep Down and its message, as well as the Showcase and its mission. (Here’s the link to the interview.)
Deep Down screened that night at the Pobeda Theater, hosted by its long-time manager, a lovely woman named Svetlana. At a small reception before the screening, we met the head of the country’s national film production studio, who invited us for a studio tour later in the week. When the local American chargé d’affaires introduced the film, he began his remarks in Belarusian, and the crowd cheered to hear him speak the native tongue. Belarusian isn’t much different than Russian, but speaking the language is something of a political statement and subtle protest.
The screening was incredible. More than 400 people attended, and the film itself, which was enthusiastically received, was followed by a 45-minute Q&A. We then spent another 45 minutes talking one-on-one with local film enthusiasts and students.
The young filmmakers in the audience wanted to know how we learned about the topic and how we got our funding. People were also curious about the legal processes depicted in the film—exactly how many signatures did people need to gather to get a public hearing? Betsy explained the local, state, and national tiers of government, and if citizens want to change a law, they can petition their government to do so. Another young man said that he didn’t think anyone in Belarus was brave enough to tell a story like the one they’d just seen. One older woman commented on the beautiful cinematography and asked where they could see more of this cinematographer’s work (Note: Jen Gilomen was the cinematographer on Deep Down.) We distributed business cards and received several follow-up e-mails from attendees.
October 24–25: Borisov, Minsk
On Tuesday morning we drove to Borisov, a small town about 45 minutes northeast from Minsk. We screened Louder Than a Bomb at the Borisov Central District Library to 35 high school students, and followed the screening with a discussion of the film and a conversation in small groups about what film the students would make if they had the chance to make their own documentary, and why. The head librarian then gave us a tour of the library and served us the customary tea and cookies.
That evening in Minsk we screened Automorphosis to a delighted audience of over 400 people at the Pobeda Theater, and answered as many questions as we could about the production, sharing some of our favorite Harrod Blank stories from our time with him in the US.
October 26: Minsk
In the morning we visited a traditional Belarusian village outside of town. It was beautiful, and so nice to see the countryside before returning to Minsk for the afternoon’s events.
We gave our first workshop that afternoon at the American Embassy, entitled “Documentary Filmmaking in the US: Funding, Production and Distribution,” to approximately 30 Belarusian filmmakers, including two well-known, younger documentarians and their producing partner. One of the filmmakers addressed government and politics in Belarus in his work; he’s one of the few filmmakers in the country doing this, which could result in imprisonment or punishment. In the workshop, we focused on general production and outreach techniques, and after an hour of presentation, we shifted to a general discussion about the state of documentary film in Belarus, including funding and broadcast limitations, and we pointed out strategies that have helped us in the US. We also heard about various projects each attendee was working on, and we discussed topic ideas and structure.
That evening, Betsy presented a screening and discussion of Louder Than a Bomb at the Pobeda Theater, while we attended a screening of Deep Down at the public library in Minsk that attracted more than 50 people. The film provoked strong reactions and a lively conversation. One gentleman criticized the film for being too wishy-washy about capitalism, as well as generally boring and unfocused. The rest of the room appeared to disagree, and engaged in a debate about the power of one person to make change and whether or not this was realistic in a country like Belarus.
In the morning we ascended to the top of one of the tallest buildings in Minsk, before heading out to the suburbs to have lunch at the charge d’affaires’ house with several senior documentary filmmakers. The lunch was also attended by the head programmer at the Minsk International Film Festival, and a filmmaker who had spent the past decade working on a film about a Ukrainian girl who was adopted by an American family.
That afternoon we led another workshop, this time with Belarusian environmentalists and activists. We talked about environmental initiatives in the US that have been inspired by Deep Down, and ways that documentary film can be used to spur such work. The attendees were all inspired to venture into filmmaking. One of the women in the audience was nearly bald; she explained that she had developed cancer as a result of the 1986 meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the fallout of which made its way into Belarus due to the winds blowing north. Now another power plant is being built near her home and she’s not sure what to do about it, but she is committed to some sort of action.
That night we screened Freedom Riders to a packed house of over 450 people. The audience was quite taken with the film, and had lots of questions about the history of the civil rights movement in America—how it started, what became of the Freedom Riders activists themselves and where the civil rights movement led the U.S. as a country.
On Friday morning we visited the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, Department of Cultural Studies and Cultural Management. We screened Deep Down to 40 Comparative Arts students, all of whom happened to be women, and after a Q&A, we broke off into small groups and discussed the types of films the women would want to make, and what kind of change they’d want to see in the world as a result.
That afternoon we spent a couple of hours with alumni of the US Embassy’s programs, sharing a bit about viral video-making techniques—for example, using handheld devices like cell phones to conduct interviews and capture footage. The group had a lot to say about many subjects, including problems in their lives, their government and their country.
That night we screened Kids with Cameras to a nearly packed house, and had an interesting conversation and Q&A that focused on the substantial disabled population in Belarus, and how some issues about disability are similar to those in the US.
On Saturday we visited the War Museum—Belarus has rarely experienced a period of peace in its history—and screened It’s About You: John Mellencamp to a thrilled audience. We said our goodbyes to our wonderful guides and new friends. Coming at the end of a long week, this film was a welcome break and a perfect way to end the Showcase.
Summary
Our week in Belarus was truly life-changing for both for us and, we hope, for the participants in the Showcase and its workshops. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to be a part of a shared dialogue about social issue documentary filmmaking and its potential to inspire action. We have been in touch with several attendees of the week’s events, and we continue to brainstorm with them about the power and joy of documentary filmmaking.
We would like to extend our warmest thanks to the staff of the American Embassy in Minsk, including Carrie Lee, the “two Irinas,” and all who helped to make this trip possible. In addition, we would like to thank the stupendous Betsy McLane and her talented team at the American Documentary Showcase for their commitment to global awareness and education, and to making a difference in the lives of so many.