The name of the young film director, a recent graduate of the Faculty of Screen Arts of the Belarusian State Academy of Arts, Kirill Khaletsky, has recently been often mentioned in the media. The informational occasion is serious: Kirill has almost finished working on his feature-length debut “Filmmakers”, and this film will represent the National Film Studio at the XXIX Minsk International Film Festival “Listapad”.
“FILM MAKERS”. ROAD TO LISTAPAD
…The reason is indeed serious, but the film is a comedy. In some places it is a sitcom, sometimes it is lyrical, but from beginning to end it is filled with good humor, recognizable situations, and unexpected collisions. True, this does not mean at all that work on the picture proceeded in the same way, according to the genre – “jokingly and playfully.” Not at all: the script, for example, had to be rewritten twelve times! But in general terms, the intended story was still preserved. And if we use the cinematic term “logline,” then the plot of the film fits into one succinct phrase: “About how movies are made.” This laconic formulation gives, as you might guess, incredible scope for creativity. If only because people who work in cinema are able to look at any event from different angles. The funny is made sad, the evil is made fun of, the barely noticeable is made incredibly beautiful. Documentary filmmakers capture life as it is. Fiction film directors embody reality on the screen as they imagine it. But both of them want our lives to be better. Someone will think: naive. Some will say: storytellers. And they are just… “filmmakers”!
This is Kirill Khaletsky making his debut in big cinema. But at the Minsk IFF “Listapad” in 2021, one of his (at that time course) work was already noted: in the film school competition, the short film “Road” was awarded a special diploma from the “Listapad” jury. And, as sometimes happens, the title of the film became prophetic: the small film actually opened the way for its talented author.
The young man was noticed, and Kirill received an assignment at Belarusfilm. A new structural division of Belarusfilm, the Youth Film Studio “Smolk@”, was created precisely to support young talents. The debutant was given creative freedom, decent financial support and given two years to implement his plan. Kirill invited young enthusiasts who were equally passionate about cinema to join his team. Among them are cinematographer Vladimir Koziyatko, a recent graduate of VGIK, screenwriter Konstantin Bakunin, and sound director Anastasia Panasevich. This is how the film “Filmmakers” appeared, which few have seen, but which they are already talking about and waiting for.
It is not our rule to make advances to novice directors, but in the case of Kirill Khaletsky, I would like to make an exception. Regardless of how the new Belarusian comedy “Kinoshniki” performs at this year’s Listapadze, in the coming issues we will definitely publish a long interview with Kirill Khaletsky and tell you more about the film and himself.
By the way, Kirill Khaletsky dedicated his new film to the 100th anniversary of Belarusian cinema. And for this – a special “thank you” to him!
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The full version is in “NE” No. 10, 2023.
Filmmakers without quotes! Youth quartet of the debut comedy “Filmmakers”: actors Vladislav Solodov, Stanislav Pekarsky, Lolita Taborko and director Kirill Khaletsky.