Belarusian cinema is 100 years old. A century is an impressive date, the true greatness of which is difficult to realize and fully accept. Where it is centuries-old, there is… patriarchal, archaic, “bronzed.” And all this is definitely not about cinema! Art, the very name of which comes from “movement,” by definition, does not stand still in every sense, and does not allow us to associate it with something centuries-old.
A century (relative to the history of other forms of art) is a short period of existence. So cinema, which appeared later than others, but became one of the pillars of world culture, is still not only the “most important”, but also the youngest art. Film may deteriorate and crumble into dust, other media may fall into disrepair, actors may grow old, directors may die… But, like a phoenix from the ashes, cinema is reborn again and again – in a new quality, with new faces, new plots and new meanings, finally.
Belarusian cinema, which dates back to the historical decree on the creation of the Belgoskino trust, is younger than the world. It took a quarter of a century for the invention of the Lumiere brothers to finally take root on our land and become our own. We are, of course, not talking about our first cinemas, which already played with great commercial success not only “The Arrival of a Train” and “The Sprinkler”, but also local newsreels. Belarusian cinema became truly Belarusian when Belarusian film directors and films made about Belarus and its people appeared.
The national film studio “Belarusfilm” is also celebrating its anniversary this year. The studio was and remains the heart of national cinema. It was here that films were created that became the pride of national culture, its classics, and films that gained fame for Belarusian cinema outside our country. For a long time the film studio was called “Partizanfilm”: the themes of films are most often dictated by history and the requirements of the time. But we must not forget that in addition to feature films, we have excellent animation and worthy documentaries. So, more than “Partizanfilm”, another unspoken name suits our studio – “City of Masters”.
Thanks to the light hand of journalists, it caught on after the release of the wonderful fairy tale film “City of Masters” by film director Vladimir Bychkov. In this film there was a brilliant foresight, literally a sketch of fate! – those who would later be called founders, classics, and teachers starred in episodic roles as masters and apprentices. Most of the filmmakers who came to the filming pavilion of the “City of Masters” literally “out of friendship” portrayed weavers, potters and blacksmiths – they worked as extras. And directors Vladimir Bychkov and Viktor Turov, cameraman Alexander Knyazhinsky, artist Alexander Boym were captured in close-up – they formed a picturesque group with beer mugs in their hands… Now this unique shot has become part of history, a kind of rarity.
…And yet, despite the centenary anniversary, I don’t want panegyrics. I want to talk about living, forever young, in constant movement, interested in all and all interesting art the way they talk to friends on their birthday: sincerely, with love and respect. We called the anniversary chronicle on the pages of our magazine “City of Masters.” We will walk along the streets of this city, tell interesting stories that happened in it, listen to the songs that sounded in it… Let’s remember its “architects” and “builders” – wonderful citizens of the City of Masters. We will once again turn over the brightest pages of this chronicle – the “frames” of the history of Belarusian cinema, which, as we can now rightfully say, have remained in ETERNITY.
