The young heroine, who has remained silent throughout the film, says quietly: “We have something to say, but you must listen to us.” Why did you decide to give a voice to a new generation?
Vladimir Alenikov: When you live in the world for a long time, at some point you realize that you shouldn’t do anything acceptable. It’s worth spending energy and time only on what’s important. That’s how I try to live and work. My previous work “Heavenly Team” seems very important to me. It’s the memory of the tragically lost Yaroslavl “Lokomotiv”. Now here is “Rebels”. I shot everything: children’s films, comedies, thrillers. But I didn’t do anything more important than this picture.
A few years ago, a friend told me a story that amazed me: some selfish people were going to tear down a boarding school where disabled children from disadvantaged families lived to build a shopping center. And the children protected it. I didn’t believe it, but my friend insisted that it was true. I started calling all the boarding schools in the country, talking to directors and teachers. “Did this happen to you?” – “No. No. No.” Nobody knew anything. Apparently this is some kind of myth. But I’m already exhausted. I started going to boarding schools, communicating with children, and realized that this layer of life had happened to me and a huge number of people. They don’t even turn in this direction. And this is a whole world. Children who end up there are thrown out of life. Mostly they were abandoned by their parents. They are usually very sick. And in general, no one is interested in them. But these are children, they are still beautiful, they dream, they strive for something. The most amazing thing is that sometimes they succeed. I fell in love with these children and some of the teachers; you don’t find people like that everywhere.
The importance of this theme is also evidenced by the fact that the film was preceded by a novel.
Vladimir Alenikov: Last year, a book with the same title, “Rebels,” was published. For several years we sought support from the Ministry of Culture. Finally they managed to get me to make the painting. I hope to turn our society towards these children. Because they need help, love and compassion. These are the main human emotions. All my books, plays and films are always unusual love stories. This is how this film came about, everything in it is true. I wrote all the stories as the children told them in simple words. With the exception of the main character’s line, it was invented to tie everything together. But certainly something similar happened.
I am friends with many artists. I have wonderful actors acting in my films. But here I abandoned famous faces so that there was a documentary feel. There is one exception: Olga Volkova, who plays the headmistress of the boarding school. I presented her with the prototype. And within five minutes they were communicating like sisters. And I also filmed real students of a boarding school – for them it was the main event of their lives. When creating the image of the boarding school, they based themselves on one of the few real prosperous institutions.
Vladimir Alenikov: I made a film myth. But I really want everything in life to end as well as in this one… Photo: RIA Novosti
The film received a special award at the Volgograd Torch Festival. Will it be available to the general public?
Vladimir Alenikov: Premiering on November 14th.
The resolution of the conflict is a bit dreamlike. The journalists came and reported the truth.
Vladimir Alenikov: Well, I said that this is a myth. But I want it to be so!
Petrov and Vasechkin turns 40 this year. Are the Soviet schoolchildren who starred in the films different from modern children?
Vladimir Alenikov: People today don’t read anything.
This is probably more of a question for parents.
Vladimir Alenikov: Yes, but unfortunately books are disappearing from their lives. They won’t even understand what Ilf and Petrov are talking about. My heroine sings a song by Yanka Diaghileva. Her work will remain close to teenagers for some time. But not for long.
You’ve worked a lot not only with us, but also in Hollywood. What’s the difference?
Vladimir Alenikov: When I worked there, I might not check whether I had given someone a task. Everything will be done without any problems. But here, if you don’t check, you’ll never know what you’ll get. That’s why I keep track of everything myself.
Oh, this is not the answer I was expecting. Do we have something good that they don’t have?
Vladimir Alenikov: Kindness is everywhere. People who work in cinema are demanding of themselves. My group is always like a family.
