Ukranian film about Nestor Makhno - in production

[freedum]

UPDATED Oct. 13, 2005:
Check out the English translation of the Russian articles here:

http://www.freedombin.com/trans/2.htm


Dear Comrades,

Director -- Mukola (Nikolai) Kaptan began filming a 12-part series film (drama) about Nestor Makhno. Production started summer 2005.

Ukranian newspaper articles (in Russian) w/ photos stills from episodes:
http://www.eg.ru/Publication.mhtml?PubID=7099&Part=62
http://www.pk.kiev.ua/article.php?story=2005092216011924

Where the rumor started:
http://www.mahno.ru/phorum/read.php?f=1&i=...#reply_38\ (http://www.mahno.ru/phorum/read.php?f=1&i=38&t=38#reply_38\)

- Tamudjin

[Taiga]

This sounds interesting. The movie will cover his entire life from childhood (8 years old) till death in Paris. I really hope that the director will show us the most realistic story of Nestor Makhno, not too sweet, not too bad :)

[freedum]

yeah, it would be awesome to see something that is historically accurate.
the below quote claims something like:

"But seriously, Kaptan is trying to make a truthful motion picture about the famous anarchist, without any sharp [ideological] accents, without blaming or flattering anyone. The main idea is to acknowledge that this happened in [our/ukranian] history and to deliver verifiable facts to future generations. Viewers will decide who was right. We'll be able to view the film approximately 1 year from now."

http://www.eg.ru/Publication.mhtml?PubID=7099&Part=62

"А если серьезно, то Каптан старается сделать очень правдивую картину о знаменитом анархисте, без каких-либо резких акцентов, никого не осуждая и не восхваляя. Основная идея: признать, что в нашей истории все это было, и донести до потомков реальные факты. А кто был прав, зрители сами решат. Увидеть картину можно будет примерно через год."

[freedum]

Here's my translation of the article from the tabloid Express Gazeta (Express Paper) 16 August, 2005. Russian original: http://www.eg.ru/Publication.mhtml?PubID=7099&Part=62


The Nine Lives of Nestor Makhno
(12 part series)
(filming in 2005; to be released: spring 2006)
Director: Mukola (Nikolai) Kaptan
Ukraine (and potentially Russia)
To be broadcast internationally on RTVi (Russian cable/satellite channel)
==============================================

A hodgepodge of geese, people...[1]

..in a new series about the tragic life of bat'ko Makhno.

The 12 part historical drama "Nine Lives of Nestor Makhno" went into production just outside of Pereslav-Khmel'nezckiy. Anna Slu, the actress playing one of the main heroines of the series, talks to us from the set.

WHO'S PLAYING WHO?


AS: Our Makhno is Pasha Derevyanko [a theater actor soon to appear in his premier on-screen role in a film adaptation of Gogol's "Dead Souls"] . I play the role of his second wife Galina Kuz'menko. My real life husband, Daniil Belykh, plays Makhno's companion-in-arms Fedos' Shusya. While preparing for the role, I read the memoirs of Galina, Makhno. This woman shook my world. Very strong personality, stronger than Nestor himself. Only a wife like her could hold a grip on this man. She was not merely his spouse, she was his most dedicated friend and comrade-in-arms. For this role I had to change my hair color from a natural blond to a brunette. When I saw myself, I was horrified. The boys were also quite serious about getting ready for the shoot. Danya (short for Daniil) worked out at a gym regularly. I didn't work out and regretted it later when I had to hold a mauser [a type of pistol] in my hands -- it's so heavy! Pasha worked out as well. Plus he studied local speach patterns, developing a Ukranian accent.

WHO'S FILMING?
AS: We have an incredible director, Nikolai Kaptan. He's easy to work with. We immediately
found a common language. On the set, he can explain what he wants from his actors in literally two or three words. Ofcourse, there are some difficulties but with such a "helmsman" one understands that all is surmountable. The second [assistant?] director is his wife Ol'ga. For me these two are an ideal example of the possibility of combining art
and family life.

HOW IS IT BEING FILMED?
We're working with authentic decorations. Homestead utencils, furniture -- all borrowed from
the local regional-study museum. Even found a house, that remained in tact from those times. The costumes are also mostly genuine. As far as makeup, the actresses are almost not wearing any. The male actors, on the other hand, the "makhnovzci", receive wrinkles, 5 o'clock shadows, tans. It's a unique occassion when the men take more time than the women. The action takes place on the farmstead and the set designers were able to totally recreate the look and feel of the period. Besides people, the set employs the entire array of barnyard animals -- pigs, cows, chickens, geese.

It's impossible to count all the cats and dogs, there're so many. Lots of scenes when we're on horseback. The animals categorically refuse to listen to us! No, they're not aggressive but they walk wherever they feel like. They can easily leave the shot. At the same time, the actors don't want to admit that they're unable to handle them, and they try to pass it off as though they directed the horses themselves. But seriously, Kaptan is trying to make a truthful motion picture about the famous anarchist, without any sharp [ideological] accents, without blaming or flattering anyone. The main idea is to acknowledge that this happened in [our/ukranian] history and to deliver verifiable facts to future generations. Viewers will decide who was right. We'll be able to view the film approximately 1 year from now.


1. a play on a line from a famous 19th century Russian poem, Borodino by Mikhael Yuryevich Lermontov. it describes Russia's fight against Napoleon's
invading army and goes [very very roughly] more like "A hodgepodge of horses, people" [please excuse the extremely poor unpoetic translation of this phrase]. The Russian original of the poem is online here as of October 2005:
http://lermontov.niv.ru/text/lermontov.pl?86#n6


http://www.eg.ru/LoadedImages/IMG_2005-08-16-slubelyh7.jpg
ON THE SET OF THE SERIES: the entire population of a local village participates

http://www.eg.ru/LoadedImages/IMG_2005-08-16-slubelyh8.jpg
MAKHNO AND WIFE: genuinely believed that they're fighting for a just cause

http://www.eg.ru/LoadedImages/IMG_2005-08-16-slubelyh9.jpg
SPOUSES/COMPANIONS-IN-ARMS: in this union Galina was the leading and guiding force

http://www.eg.ru/LoadedImages/IMG_2005-08-16-slubelyh11.jpg
BLOODY PAGES OF RUSSIAN HISTORY: shown in the film without "niceties"

[freedum]

translated the 2nd article into English and placed it here so it's a bit more accessible:

http://www.freedombin.com/trans/2.htm

enjoy!

[JKP]

I hope that it describes the society he was trying to create. Most movies on anarchism usually skip by that aspect.

[JKP]

I think it's out now.

Anyone got a .torrent and/or more information?

[Delta]

This site (http://www.freedombin.com/trans/) says it will be out in late 2006 :(

[Taiga]

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/8326/nestor35hj6cm9sm.jpg

Come on, it's out for at least two months! :D

I managed to watch only one episode :(
And I really liked it. The actor that plays the character of Nestor is brilliant.
I got links where you can download the movie. But there are 12 episodes and it's only in Russian/Ucrainean.

[Delta]

Originally posted by [email protected] 19 2006, 12:29 AM
I got links where you can download the movie. But there are 12 episodes and it's only in Russian/Ucrainean.
What are the links? Is there anyone that can make subtitles for it? I could make a torrent and seed it to others.

[Taiga]

Here is the link
http://www.stepashka.com/forum/lofiversion....php/t7116.html (http://www.stepashka.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t7116.html)

EDIT: the filefactory links don't work. Use megaupload.

[JKP]

Anyone have newer links for this?

(send a Private message if you must)

Thanks.

[Delta]

I would REALLY like to watch this as well. If anyone knows where it can be found please let me know.

[Shader]

Hey sorry for bumping old thread but I have all of the series. I downloaded it from torrent. I can't post links so: go to isohunt.com and search for "machno"... Only one result will appear, download it. I will try to seed as much as I can.

[Stranger Than Paradise]

This is exciting news. I love the idea and I always siad that this particular story would make a brilliant film. Are there any English subtitles?