MISSION OF GOOD
For two years now, the Rossotrudnichestvo agency, whose main task is to strengthen Russia’s humanitarian influence in the world, has been implementing, among others, the international humanitarian project “Mission Good.” The General Secretary of the Belarusian Red Cross Dmitry Shevtsov and the head of the Russian House in Minsk Yuri Makushin signed on June 26 this year a Memorandum of Cooperation within the framework of the International Volunteer Program “Mission Good” under the motto “Cultivating goodness in our hearts!” and organized the “Club of Friends of Russia”, the information platform of which will be operational from August 1, 2023.
Since July 6, volunteers of the “Mission Good” program have already been working in the Grodno regional organization of the Belarusian Red Cross, sharing their experience in developmental and correctional work with disabled children, and conducting thematic master classes. And on July 7, in the “Russian House”, an event was held, which was attended by SPUTNIK columnist Evgeny Ogurtsov-Krzhizhanovsky and which simply cannot be assessed other than a mission of good in its purest form. Rossotrudnichestvo took on the role of sponsor and organizer of the Evening in memory of the Honored Artist of the Republic of Belarus, famous cameraman and director Yuri Marukhin.
VOLUNTEER BROTHERHOOD
It is valuable that the initiative came, as they say, from below: volunteer filmmakers and friends of Yuri Marukhin considered it important to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the birth of a man who devoted his life to the formation and development of Belarusian cinema, the centenary of which we will celebrate next year. They were helped by the International Fund for Social and Economic Support of Cultural Workers and Artists, chaired by People’s Artist of Belarus Vladimir Gostyukhin, as well as the Institute of Art History, Ethnography and Folklore named after. K. Nettles NAS RB. The soul of this group of caring people was Valentina Alekseevna Stepanova, who for many years headed the directorate of the MIFF “Listapad”, and is now actively participating in the preparations for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Belarusian cinema as a volunteer.
On July 7, the mansion on Revolyutsionnaya Street, 15A in Minsk became a real center of the Belarusian cultural beau monde: The evening in memory of Yu. A. Marukhin brought together people’s artists, State Prize laureates, honored artists, people’s artists, doctors and candidates of sciences, recipients of orders, writers, journalists, musicians, as well as representatives of other creative professions.
AND IT’S ALL ABOUT HIM…
This unique symposium was opened by candidate of art history Antonina Karpilova, announcing such events as a scientific and educational cycle dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Belarusian cinema. The fact that this “wreath of sonnets” began with Yuri Marukhin, according to the film expert, is not at all accidental. “A bright, passionate personality, which is reflected in his cinematography and director’s work,” this is what Antonina Karpilova said about the departed master. “This is a brilliant artist who left a swift and unique mark on Belarusian cinema.”
Yuri Makushin, as the head of the Rossotrudnichestvo representative office in the Republic of Belarus, expressed hope that meetings of the creative intelligentsia of the two countries will become permanent: “We hope that Belarusian cinema, inheriting such outstanding personalities as Yuri Marukhin, will strengthen the unity of fraternal peoples, carry its “a mission of good,” the director of the Russia House expressed his wish.
Sincere, sincere performances by those present literally warmed the atmosphere of the evening with their warmth. Ivan Yakimovich Misko, People’s Artist of Belarus, told how he was friends with Marukhin when they were young, how they loved fried potatoes, fishing, but most importantly, how they loved Minsk, which had become their home, and creativity. “I was interested in communicating with him. He knew and was able to do a lot. Taught me how to use a camera. We could not live in peace: the world around us was noisy and seething, and we were making noise and seething together with it. Yura left a good mark behind him. May God grant us all to leave behind good traces,” the famous Belarusian sculptor said in conclusion.
Tatyana Markhel, People’s Artist of Belarus, performed one of the iconic roles in Yuri Marukhin’s directorial debut “Radunitsa”. She talked about a creative trip with a film to Altai, and how the audience, among which there were many Belarusians, sang “You are making noise, making noise over me, Byarozs…”. “Today I will also sing him a Belarusian song. He lived here. He became his own. The film “Radunitsa” confirms this: only a Belarusian could make it,” said the famous actress.
Yuri Elkhov, a cinematographer and director, whose latest major work was the historical drama “Anastasia Slutskaya,” spoke at the evening. Like Marukhin, being a brilliant cameraman, Yuri Alexandrovich came to directing. He said about his colleague: “Of course, we were competitors. I went into directing because I worked on set with real masters and, in fact, completed the “highest directing courses” with several great masters, including Valery Rubinchik, Leonid Nechaev and Boris Lutsenko. Marukhin was a principled person and could be harsh if he believed that someone had acted dishonestly. That time was the heyday of Belarusian cinema. Nowadays there is a decline in cinema, and people like Yura Marukhin, alas, are not visible…”
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INSTEAD OF AN EPILOGUE
Then there were conversations, exchange of phone numbers, the birth of projects and discussion of plans. Yuri Makushin promised that the doors of the Russia House are now open to Belarusian filmmakers, and Rossotrudnichestvo will join the program to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Belarusian cinema. So don’t believe after this the truth that “whatever you call a ship, that’s how it will sail!” Cultivating goodness in hearts is the Christian, highly spiritual, humanistic postulate of the “Mission Good” volunteer movement, which today has touched upon pride, glory, and the problems of Belarusian cinema.
OUR HELP:
MARUKHIN Yuri Alexandrovich was born on July 13, 1938. Died on December 20, 2001. After graduating from VGIK (since 1961), he worked at the Belarusfilm film studio.
Selected filmography:
“Little Dreamers”, “The Last Bread”, “Beloved”, “Eastern Corridor”, “Black Sun”, “Lion’s Grave”, “Time Has Chosen Us”, “Calm”, “Garden”, “Starting Point”, “High Flood” “, “Three Women and a Man” (director of feature films); “Radunitsa”, “The Man Who Interviewed”, “Mother of the Hurricane”, “Weekend with a Killer” (feature film director); “The Sun over the City”, “Minsk”, “Soldiers”, “Adam and Marylya”, “Autumn of the Farmer” (documentary film director).
The full version is in “NE” No. 7, 2023.