(all character names have been changed)
Elena, a producer, works in Russia: “The saddest thing is the lack of clear rules, no one says what is possible and what is not”
Censorship always affects all projects. The film planning horizon is several years. You conceive something, and it comes out in two years – while it was written, while it was filmed, while it was edited and released. The saddest thing is the lack of clear rules, they were absent before, and now to an even greater extent, because no one says what is possible and what is not. A year and a half ago, we made content without regard for any fears. We didn’t do anything ideologized in either direction, we didn’t issue any manifestos, but we didn’t think that, for example, we shouldn’t take something or talk about it, that we shouldn’t show a lesbian or a homosexual. It was a question of intonation and propriety, and it always stands, regardless of censorship.
By the end of the year, even before the "special operation", we were given a hat for the first time – a certain radicalized part of society attacked because there were jokes about religion in the movies. Not up to the size of Charlie Hebdo cartoons, it was light, but, apparently, it caught the eye of one of the radical comrades. I had to clean up a huge amount of negative comments from social networks every day, the actor was hired by security, he was threatened, he eventually got drunk from all social networks. Seeing this, we went nuts and re-edited the first episode, although no one from above called us. Censorship was rather internal, and now it has not gone away either. The level of uncertainty has increased, because today this is impossible, and tomorrow that. Today you are preparing a project, but tomorrow it is no longer possible. This has happened before, but as the situation develops, things become even more uncertain. The amount of censorship will increase because, apart from the state, there is little money left in cinema. We do not have such a culture that whoever gives money just gives money. We have the one who gives money, orders the music.
And therefore, the eternal story about how to put “about pi ** races” in the state cinema – what is it from? From a misunderstanding that this is our money, the inhabitants of the country, and in a good way, there are different people – someone loves boys, someone loves girls, someone is a liberal, someone is a conservative, and everyone has the right to be represented. In this sense, we are at the cave level, we still believe that if this is a state institution, then it should work out some kind of ideological direction. Now, when money for cinema is only the Cinema Fund and the Ministry of Culture, the level of censorship will increase.
In Russia, they still believe that if this is a state institution, then it should work out some kind of ideological direction.
Essentially, companies live to a certain level and then either are sold or have to become part of the global market, and media companies are no exception. In our situation, we understand that there is no investment model left, and this is the quasi-state money of investors, that is, the money of large state corporations, such as Gazprom. Not a single private media holding can now survive on its own money alone. He needs interaction with other market players or channels, which automatically means the state or state institutions, such as the Internet Development Institute, the Cinema Fund or the Ministry of Culture. It is clear that the Ministry of Culture is to a greater extent an ideological organization, the Cinema Fund to a lesser extent, but they have control levers that will lead not only to internal censorship, but also to external.
Perhaps, if the situation comes to remission, then the rules of the game will be formed, and everything will not be so straightforward. But, frankly, a year ago, Goreslavsky went to all platforms, while not yet the director of the IRI (Internet Development Institute), but a kind of link between the Presidential Administration and the industry, and gently said: “Guys, show us the projects in progress, we will We'll help you avoid problems."
It all depends on the mind and resourcefulness of the leaders. In state institutions, for example, Gazprom-Media, there is a more serious look at this, because this is the directive of the leadership. In Gazprom, they may or may not shoot those actors who actively spoke out, went to rallies, and so on. But this does not mean that someone in the Presidential Administration actually compiled a list – it all happens on a “non-verbal level”. They all communicate with each other, make friends – all the heads of holdings, the oligarchs, Volodin, Matvienko, Kiriyenko, they are all from the same party, and this is not even about some rules, but about “how can I look Shoigu in the eyes when he will come to my yacht to rest. He will tell me: “Well, what are you? Oh * ate, or what? We're a team, we're friends, and you're setting me up."
And when a representative of this team, for reasons of his continued existence in this group, his further growth, gets into a leading position in the holding, he, of course, acts within certain limits. This is again from the realm of self-restraint. There are people who are self-sufficient, and there are those who have long and firmly been engaged in this business. Well, we understand, would the Russkoye company exist if Kushaev was not an employee of the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company? Wouldn't exist.
Would all these shit companies exist in St. Petersburg if their people were not included in a certain scheme for making all this shit for NTV? No. They don't do anything amazing, they sit in their seats and love these places very much. And they are afraid that their well-being, their excellent positions may suddenly be interfered with by some kind of bullshit, some kind of louse, like a man with a Ukrainian flag on his profile picture. Because there are people who check it. And most importantly, even if this is not done systematically, everyone is afraid that they might start doing it tomorrow and that you will take this actor today, and tomorrow he will come out, say something, and they will say to you: “Well, that’s all, f*ck.” When everyone understands that the state remains the only sponsor, everyone thinks ahead of the curve. Moreover, there are people of certain views in the leadership, and they simply do not take those who do not coincide with these views. When the war happened, we had conflicts within the groups. For example, the director has an anti-war position, he is going to leave, the cameraman has a different one, and the casting director constantly posts on Facebook that she supports the war, she is from Donetsk or Mariupol, she has a lot of relatives there, and she enters into picks about " eight years". So people just have a desire to avoid this confrontation. Or one of them is quite supportive of what is happening, and they do not want to work with people who do not support. I now have many projects in production, and we do not check the social networks of potential employees on any project. But, perhaps, somewhere the executives do it on their own initiative, without advertising, maybe even they use some kind of internal filter. This happens in a natural way, because for some it is a scam, and someone does not see anything shameful in such filters.
When the war happened, we started to have conflicts, for example, the director has an anti-war position, the cameraman has a different one.
We live in a society, and in the movies of this dofig – people steal money. What are they guided by when they steal? The fact that, if I need it, I can make a deal with my conscience, roughly speaking. Why should they worry if they can make a movie and get five times more government money for it? I talked to one producer, he said that he was launching a project about biolaboratories in Mariupol, and I did not hear any horror in his voice. For him, this is completely normal. It has long been obvious that he is a man "built into the system." He looks at it quite calmly, apparently, and does not feel any remorse on this subject.
I talked with the producer, who told me that she was launching a project about biolaboratories in Mariupol, and I did not hear any horror in her voice
We also have a “patriotic project”, not the worst one, which we are filming on behalf of the Internet Development Institute. If more talented people wrote it, it would not be so bad, because at its core it has a genre component, almost like White Fang. There is, fortunately, no Z-line, it just says very straightforwardly that the pi ** races from the West wanted to tear Russia apart, and the wise leaders of Russia rebuffed them. I'm simplifying now, in general, if you take the plot – there is nothing terrible, it's a human story, but, as always, when you try to roughly work with meanings, it comes out through the ass. Although if you look, distracted from my worldviews, then such a point of view can also exist.
Roman, director, left Russia: “Instead of cinema, entertaining sitcoms will now go, people will have to giggle”
In recent years, I have lived quite a compromise. I didn’t like a lot, but Brodsky’s excuse – “thieves are dearer to me than bloodsuckers” – fell apart on February 24th. It became obvious that thieves are bloodsuckers, it became clear that this is the next stage of cancer in Russia. It became completely unbearable, disgusting. I turned a blind eye to both Crimea and the Donbass operation. I understood that the authorities had to make the same Abkhazia or Ossetia in Ukraine, an unhealed abscess that would prevent it from living in peace and integrating into Europe. It's embarrassing to talk about it now, but it's true. You understand what is happening, but internally you live with it in Russia, because work, business and the opportunity to help people. Life, life and comfort outweighed the feeling of injustice.
The excuse "thieves are dearer to me than bloodsuckers" now does not work, thieves have become bloodsuckers
On the 24th, the veil from my eyes just fell off, and I realized that this is complete bullshit and it is unbearable. I started going to rallies in the city where I was filming. I didn’t go to work, let people go earlier and violated contractual things, saying: “Sorry, but I have to go.” I believed that in the early days it was possible to change something if it was massive. It was naive, because Navalny showed with his arrival that nobody fucking comes out. There were few of us, we were chased, and most importantly, people did not approve of those who came out.
Passers-by – both young, and grandfathers, and grandmothers – are ready to throw themselves at us and help the police. It struck me, and I realized that we were completely arrogant and frivolous about television. Everyone knew what Solovyov was, and thought that it did not work for anyone, that it was not serious. But after February 24, I realized that this is an underestimated thing, very powerful, it affects people, and it's scary.
After seeing all this, I left. It became obvious that it was unbearable to live in a passively or actively supporting environment. It's so embarrassing and scary that I just "bursted the bubble" that arose in a professional environment. I realized that all this is not necessary and there can be no work. You cannot be a taxpayer, because if you work in Russia, you are indirectly working for the war. I got it, and I don't want it.
At the moment, I don’t have the resources to fight, I don’t have the courage and strength. I don’t see the opportunity to work in Russia now, because it brought us to this asshole, because they always told me: “Do you want protests? Protest, but you won't get a job, and we're responsible for the people in our company." These excuses sounded all twenty years. I formulated all this in a funny and clear way for myself: "My hut is on the edge, you can repeat with me." The man stuck his head in his little hut, put his ass out and said: “Repeat as much as you need, because I’m on the edge, it doesn’t concern me, everything is not so simple.” All our huts are on the edge, and with all of us, it seems to me, they will repeat the 37th year. It seems absurd, but everything goes towards it.
Those who remain have no choice: they will make compromises, because things will get worse from here on out. This is the path to North Korea, I think that it will be swift, and for those who remain, there is only a road of compromise and reduction of everything. It is not easy in immigration, but for those who are inside … I know many people who are generally fine and do not worry. If people have been fine for the last twenty years, then they will be fine now, until something starts to explode. Judging these people is stupid and should not be done. Everyone lives the way he is comfortable.
I know a lot of people who are generally fine and don't care.
There are people who think it's right to stay. I don't blame them at all, it's their choice, it's braver and more courageous than mine. There are people who stay in order not to “give up the country”, for example, Kara-Murza, Shlosberg, Yashin, Navalny. It is possible that there are people who continue to picket. If you make shows and call it "I don't give up the country" then that's bullshit: you entertain people between Nightingale Litter and pay taxes, so you serve.
I heard that we urgently need to increase the supply of entertainment content, because people get tired of the news and from the fall they need to be a lot of fun, so many sitcoms will be filmed now, a lot of fun, which Tina Kandelaki is working on. It is possible that some patriotic films will be made to order, but in general the war will reduce money, and the cinema will rapidly collapse, the number of films will decrease. First of all, culture, education will go under the knife, and cinema will follow them. TV formats will feel good because people will have to "giggle".
I really want to return and will be able to return when the war stops and the system changes. I think it will happen synchronously or very quickly. Putin's government must cease to exist and must be tried, Navalny and other political prisoners must be released. The country must disentangle what it has brewed. I think I'll be back then and be helpful. Not the fact that I will find a job by profession, but if necessary, I will go to wash the dishes. Why not?
Sergei, the director, stayed in Russia: “There was censorship in the USSR, but it didn’t stop the creation of great films”
I honestly made this decision: I was born in Russia, I live here, and I really don’t understand why it’s a little bit, I have to go abroad. A patriot is one who loves his country and fights against tyranny, and not one who is friends with the camp administration and calls it love for the motherland. Why I have to leave here, I do not quite understand. Even if I do not agree with the actions of the authorities, and even if, for example, they call me, I will simply write a refusal. If they put me in jail, then I'll serve what to do. I know for sure that I will not go to any war. I will never shoot some kind of order, I will never engage in propaganda either. I'd rather shoot a short film, maybe a cheap one. I'm not a fighter, I just make films and I see that this is my mission – to make good movies for people. Maybe there is something in the fact that I do not agree to dubious films with dubious morality?
In general, I don’t believe in this whole topic that everything is gone, art has disappeared. Because there was serious censorship in the Soviet Union, but outstanding works of art were still filmed. Maybe even the other way around – under the yoke of strong censorship, in a vice, something genuine and more sincere is born than when you are free. This is not necessarily an underground, and in some popularly approved film there may be a fig in your pocket, some kind of wink, which is read only by those who understand, it is simply hidden, does not lie on the surface. I don't believe that cinema claims any position, I believe that cinema develops a person and his soul. It teaches him to think critically, to see different sides of the same coin, it somehow elevates you in general over all animals. We need to make films, one good film already gives something. In short, I have a generally positive outlook. I'm just an optimist.
Under the yoke of censorship, in a vice, something genuine and more sincere is born than when you are free
The regime is not eternal. Even if everything remains as it is, there will be a period of thaw, loosening of the screws. Sooner or later the tide comes in, the tide goes out, it never happens that nothing moves. It doesn't matter if it's an expensive blockbuster, a commercial, or a cheap TV series for Domashny's daytime air, movies are a complex production process. It involves a huge number of people and multi-level technological chains. With the outbreak of war and the imposition of sanctions against Russia, these chains are collapsing. Difficulties arise with the supply and maintenance of expensive equipment – cameras, lights, optics, computer programs, with the purchase of materials for the construction of scenery, costumes, makeup, props. Much of what seemed to be taken for granted is now simply not available.
Nikolai, director of a filming equipment rental company, works in Russia: “It will be like in the USSR with car repairs, everyone repairs them in the garage”
We used to buy everything in Russia from official distributors: cameras, lighting, pavilion equipment. All equipment was guaranteed, with service support. Now there is none of that anymore, and we have decided not to buy filming equipment this year. But we did not plan this, because in previous years there were large purchases of equipment, it needs to be “recaptured”. We have been thinking for a long time and now we want to stop buying hardware altogether, because renting it out is not the most optimal business model.
I can expect a decrease in requests from our customers, primarily from directors of photography and gaffers (lighters). Arri or Red Digital used to come out with new cameras, optics, new versions of lights almost every year, and cameramen and gaffers instantly needed the newest and most advanced. Now, of course, self-censorship is turned on already at the level of requests: everyone understands that it is as difficult as possible to get something new. So there will be no requests for new items for natural reasons. But in general, filming equipment is very difficult to “recapture”, mainly due to the regular release of new products, so from the point of view of our business, there are pluses.
Regarding the repair, Kulibinism is our everything. It will be about the same as in the USSR with car repairs. Everyone repairs what they can in their garage, handicraftsmen were attracted, they turned brake pads. We used to do partly out-of-warranty repairs ourselves. So far, since February, we have not encountered a difficult repair, but when we do, I don’t quite understand what to do. We hope for the plasticity of the economy: how "shuttle traders" in the 90s were engaged in providing for the everyday needs of Russians, and they bought auto parts from sailors. I think it will be so now. The economy is labile. We will not be able to do this ourselves, and we do not want to, we hope to open new businesses, and we will turn to them. But there were similar cases during the pandemic. There is a feeling that we must cope.
This was not a very grateful business before, it was as difficult as possible to reach self-sufficiency, new products came out before the equipment could become obsolete and “fight back”, and now this business is on the verge of common sense.
Naturally, we see what is happening outside the studio: consumables have increased in price – chargers, batteries, cables, memory cards, spare parts for cars, since we also provide filming vehicles. Due to external circumstances, we also raised the price tag.
Oleg, a member of the camera team, works in Russia: “The editors get a message in the software: Go to … glory to Ukraine, and you suck x …”
Now there are big problems with any technical equipment that is involved in filming a movie. It is impossible to buy something according to normal schemes, that is, if you want to buy a camera, then obviously you need to somehow get to a country where there are no restrictions for Russians, and bring it from there, stuffing everything into your pockets, without boxes, without documents , pretending that you're just riding with it. As well as with spare parts or with some "toys". Accordingly, the prices and complexity of all this have grown very much. In theory, if there is a lot of money and a lot of desire, this can be done, only this is hemorrhoids.
With regards to the “iron”: if it is not very heavy, people, as before, tried to evade taxes and roll it all in a backpack, without checking it in luggage, in hand luggage, so they will continue to do so. In our country, the preference to work not “in white” has always been and remains, therefore it is easier to do so. In general, all technical departments have their own difficulties. The editors get a message in the software: "Go to … glory to Ukraine, and you suck x … bl … with your rashka." All equipment can now be repaired for the time being, if it is still serviced by leftovers from past deliveries that are no longer repeated, there is no recursion from factories, as before. And if something breaks and there are no spare parts… Well, you can draw the letter Z and the letter V on this and go to a rally for United Russia, I guess.
The editors get a message in the software: “Go to … glory to Ukraine, and you suck x … bl … with your rashka”
Peter, a camera mechanic, stayed in Russia: “The producer said if you want to continue working, remove the Ukrainian flag from your profile picture”
One day my boss called me and suggested a project with one of the Moscow studios, with which I had already worked somehow. We discussed the rates, I agreed and began preparations for filming. But a couple of days later, the same boss called me and said: “Listen, I sent your documents to the executive producer, and the next day he wrote me something like this:“ Unfortunately, we will not be able to work with him, because we have different views on life". What do you think, he asked, what could be causing this? Did you have any conflict on the site when you were working?” “No,” I replied. “It seemed to be all right, I don’t know.” In general, he clarified this issue with the producer, and it turned out that this was due to my anti-war activity on Facebook.
I was a little taken aback, laughed, but then the realization came that this was no longer a joke, and because of my civic position, I could lose my job. After that, my boss began to praise me in every possible way to the producer, saying that I was an excellent employee, the best in rent, experienced and responsible, with my camera wagon, and that I promised not to engage in any political propaganda on the site. He replied that he needed to meet and talk. We met in a Mosfilm cafe and had a very friendly conversation. He said that, in principle, he doesn’t care who has what views, the main thing is that the filming process goes smoothly, without conflicts and misunderstandings, therefore, on the set, talking about politics, including discussing a special operation, is prohibited. As for me specifically, he sent the data of the entire group to the channel for which the series is filmed, and from there the question came: what kind of dude is this with the Ukrainian flag on the profile picture? And then, he says, I already went in myself, saw that you were actively “drowning for crests”, and decided that I didn’t need problems, so I wrote to your boss that we couldn’t work with you. But now I see that you are an adequate guy, so remove the flag from your profile picture, delete posts with anti-war propaganda and we will work calmly. Which is basically what I ended up doing.
Alexander, actor, stayed in Russia: “At the AP, a department for interaction with artists and musicians was organized”
Yes, there are problems with work. There is an unspoken ban on the profession for anti-war-minded people. Some producers give direct instructions to casting directors to monitor the social networks of artists and not to invite to the casting those who declare the inadmissibility of massacres under delusional slogans. Some "patriotic" casting directors themselves have such a selection policy. Channels also seriously consider candidates for the roles of the first plan for “national betrayal” and even, as far as I know, set an indispensable condition for the approved artists not to open their mouths about this either in interviews or in social networks.
I heard that at the end of February – beginning of March, under the AP-shechka, a small manager for interaction with artists and musicians was urgently organized. It deals with the issues of peace and tranquility in our so-called "culture".
Ivan, an actor, works in Russia: “If anything, we monitor your social networks, just know”
Last summer I was offered a script, and they offered the role of a marauder who cuts a baby out of a pregnant woman. I consulted with the agent, and we made a decision: "Sorry, we can't agree on the schedule." More recently, I received an offer to act in a project on the territory of the "LPR". I said that I needed to discuss the possibility of such movements in the theater and I would call back. Then I called back and said that I did not add up according to the schedule. Although the rates there are such that I would have solved all my financial problems for the next six months. If, of course, he returned from this "expedition".
I called my colleagues with the text: “Well, guys, how are you doing there, were they called, were they not called?”. To which one of my colleagues said to me: “Well, they called, yes, they called, well, let’s go, what to do, and what are you like?” I say: "No, no way." – "It's a pity".
I also regularly see ads on the network, in Telegram chats and on Instagram, that even if you fit the parameters of some character they are looking for, but if you have spoken out somewhere on social networks and so on, you may not even send applications on a role, type it all is easily checked up. Plus, I saw stories from one of the casting directors, they say, if anything, we monitor your social networks, just know. I managed to screenshot even somewhere, and then it disappeared.
Anna, makeup artist, works in Russia: “The best blood is American, there is none left, we mix what we have”
First, professional cosmetics went up sharply in price, then it began to disappear rapidly. The tonal products disappeared, the powders that we have been using for ten years have disappeared – one American brand, at first it simply disappeared, it could not be bought either in Moscow, or in St. Petersburg, anywhere. We ordered it in a roundabout way through Estonia. Plus, the price has increased: it used to cost around 3,000 rubles, now it’s 4,500, and at first, it’s generally 6,000–8,000. The Armani tones are gone, and the eyeliner, which cost around 1800, is now 3500. Powders came to us from Estonia. Generic is the most popular, and the supplier says: "There are no supplies, everything."
Russian funds are still being rescued – they have remained at the same price. But this is not enough – there are not many positions, there are no good analogues. For example, no one has tones. Russia practically does not produce professional cosmetics specifically for our purposes, for makeup. Only little things. We managed to buy something, something didn’t, we are looking for loopholes, we pass it on, we order it through England. Payment is also a big issue – transfers do not work, you need to give in pounds, and pounds still need to be bought.
Media actors have riders. Previously, "star" actresses could, for example, tell a make-up artist that they needed certain Parisian cosmetics. The cost of a cosmetic bag could reach up to 70 thousand. And how now to fulfill these requests? We now have a new project, 12 main actors, and we need to buy 12 sets of brushes, which is about 100 thousand rubles. And now you can't find brushes at all. We're just scraping everything in austerity mode.
We are for quality, it's true, it works. An expensive brand always lasts longer, but we need to keep the actor for 12 hours and correct them so that there are no powder overlays, so that the tone is not visible on the screen. And low-budget makeup is immediately visible, and it works differently: somewhere you need to shade it, somewhere it simply won’t be erased.
As far as I understand <the manufacture of mustaches, beards, various overlays – The Insider> : we lost tulle in March-April, it was not in Russia at all, no one was selling it. And tulle is needed, this is the basis for making mustaches, beards, sideburns, wigs. Previously, it was ordered from Italy, from Germany. Now everything is covered up, it is nowhere to be found, no one is selling it. It used to cost about 3-4 thousand rubles per meter, now it costs 12 thousand. But even for this money he is not in Russia, it was really scary that everything, we won’t sew a mustache, we simply won’t be able to. Not from anything. You need individual tailoring, you can’t take other mustaches that have already been removed and stick them on. Because if you shoot a close-up portrait, then, of course, you need to select it for the actor, because everyone has different faces, different beards, and all this is measured, and everything is adjusted to the actor, of course. And the mustache from another actor may not sit down, and the glue narrows when applied to tulle, deteriorates when cleaned with alcohol, wears out, it becomes visible. And we strive not to see comprehension on the face. Some kind of wool mixture was brought to us from America, and we made mustaches from it.
It’s really scary that everything, we won’t sew a damn mustache, we just can’t. Out of nothing
More blood for filming, of course. The best is American, and we are looking for this American blood, who has what left. For example, alcohol blood dries up in a certain way, good blood. There is a store in Moscow, we always bought palettes, blood from them, they periodically ordered special effects from the States. The mud is cool, you splash it – and it works right away, implants into the skin and looks cool. But they haven't had supplies for a very long time. Now we mix something ourselves, what is left. Khimichim.
It's even worse with plastic makeup. This is an industry in makeup that uses special effects tools that can completely change a person. From scars to onlays, to reshape, for example, the nose and so on, a very complex and delicate work. In plastic, various materials are used – silicone, alginate solutions. The most consumable material is latex. And glue. We ordered this mainly from abroad. And now there is no delivery and no analogues either. If earlier you could go to one site and buy what you need, now you need to look for everything wherever possible: in groups, chats, almost on Avito. And no one sells anything, because now you sell everything, and then the project. So what are you going to do? Where will you take it?
Anna, production designer, left Russia: “Everyone got a job, everyone became an artist, without education, they can’t draw”
I realized that if you adapt to the new world and new conditions of life, then what difference does it make where to do it. It is better to do this in safety in another country than constantly taking risks. Several top artists have left, I am one of them. I keep in touch with my colleagues, artists and everyone else. We have a chat – there are mostly only quilted jackets left. People who no one knows began to be added. I communicate with my former team of directors and assistants, and everyone got a job, everyone became an artist, no education, no one can draw, but everyone got projects. It should be noted that the prices there are unbearably low, just f*ck. The salary of the production designer is very small. My assistant, who received 180 thousand rubles every month, now for four months – 400 thousand. That is, she works for 100 thousand rubles a month as a production designer and at the same time says that there is nothing, not even nails. Degradation is taking place.
Artem, production designer, left Russia: “We were taken to the trailer and announced that the project was closing”
Before the war, we started shooting a film in English with a famous foreign actor and built a scenery – a huge millionaire's mansion at Mosfilm. When the war began, I ran away to work as much as possible so as not to think about anything, like many who had a job. We were busy arranging vases and all sorts of books, and my assistant kept roaring, roaring, sitting on a chair, sad and saying: “Something fucked up, in short, nothing will happen.”
Suddenly, the second director says to us: "Come on, all the heads of departments, let's go into the trailer." I went to the trailer, and we were all told that the project was closing. Then there was news about the closure of borders, about all this nonsense, and we decided that we had sat enough, it was comfortable, it was good, but there was no work and it was not clear what we would shoot next, probably only patriotic films and nice little series. We realized that we had to leave. It took a long time to figure out where. We bought tickets for 60 thousand rubles. We said goodbye to the scenery, came just to look for the last time, there was no light there, we walked around the pavilion in the dark and on the same day, March 5, we left. We got terribly drunk before leaving, so we collected some nonsense and left with three suitcases for Uzbekistan. Once we shot a film there, there are friends and comrades who began to organize the reception of refugees, migrants, relocators, and it was possible to live with them for free for some time.
We lived in a huge empty apartment, there were students from St. Petersburg, who were handed subpoenas, IT people and real political refugees. The dude from St. Petersburg was broken into the door, and he also flew to Tashkent. This city became a temporary base for everyone we met to fly further, but some stayed there and sat for a long time. There were even some meetings of directors, cameramen, various guys who ended up staying there and even filming something.
We lived in an empty huge apartment, there were students from St. Petersburg, who were handed subpoenas, IT people and real political refugees
We gave a couple of lectures, told the locals about filmmaking from an artistic and production point of view. I grabbed every job, came up with titles for TV shows. Одновременно с этим мы разобрались, как переводить деньги, завели в Узбекистане банковские карты, изобретали какие-то сложные схемы. Потом наши продюсеры нашли возможность продолжить съемки, и мы прилетели сюда <в одну из стран ЕС — The Insider> , восстановили декорации, работаем.
Я художник-гей, у нас недавно была свадьба — мы расписались в Португалии. Мы искали выходы на беженство по ЛГБТ-теме, но решили, что наши профессиональные личности все-таки шире и содержательнее, чем просто любовь к человеку, нельзя ею прикрываться.
