It is uncommon that movie images and feature commentary on the ongoing war enter the screens during its duration. It is besides uncommon in planet cinematography to deal with plotted, war paradocuments.
And this is the case with the latest production released on screens by Yevgenija Prigozhina, known to the wider public as the owner of Wagner's notorious group, a private military company. But the movie “The Best in Hell” is interesting not only because.
Why is it a paradocument?
The author of the best in hell script is Alexey Nagin. He was a 1981-born peculiar Forces soldier who joined Wagner's group after leaving for uniform retirement. It was in her ranks that he participated in the fighting, including the mediate East (Syria) and Africa (Libya), where the people of the Primogyna played an crucial role. In spring he was on the Ukrainian front, in May he was badly wounded, but already in August he returned to the front. On September 20, he was killed in a fight on Donbasa. He was able to compose a script, which fundamentally is simply a reconstruction of 1 of the episodes of the conflict of Popaspa in the Luhansk Oblast. He described the actions of groups, 1 of whom he commanded. movie events include the re-enactment of respective hours of front scenes, attempts to gain one, crucial for the reflection of the area, a nine-story building. On a distance of about a mile, Vainner troops face utmost resistance.
The originator and sponsor of the cinema painting is Prigożyn. Directed by Andrei Batow, who had previously directed a movie Tourist about Wagner's group's struggles in Africa. The maker was experienced in the Russian movie manufacture Sergei Szczegłow. Scenes of the movie were shot in places of authentic clashes – in Popasna and close Stachanów. 1 of the main roles, the chief of staff of vasners and at the same time the narrator of the full history, was played by a well-known Russian actor, Alexey Krawchenko.
The tv premiere of the painting of Prigozhyn took place on Russian national holiday, November 4th, on air on Channel 5 of Russian television. The cinema premiere encountered a number of obstacles. It was to be held in the Petersburg cinema “Rodina”, besides on 4 November. However, the movie show was canceled at the last minute, most likely under force from politician Petersburg, Ms Alexandra BiejlovaWith which the Prigozhyn has been in acute conflict for years.
Critic reactions were usually positive, any even enthusiastic. The first value they pointed out was the different realism of cinematic painting. “The best in hell” is an exceptionally detailed illustration of dense fighting in the urban area, supported by the artillery of both sides, tiny armoured troops, and finally, aviation. Realism is besides about showing the magnitude of the losses suffered by both parties in specified a circumstantial area of combat. The movie shows in item the principles of operation, but besides the method parameters of weapons used.
The only subject here may be the way of this description, kept a bit in the kind of weapon diagrams from computer games and thus possibly a bit besides stencilful, and at the same time not allowing attention to the most crucial features of the described drumming, mortar or working. In the item and level of item of the description of the front episode, the movie may match productions known from a somewhat more distant past of cinema – “The Lost Battalion” (American silent movie of 1919, telling about the struggles of a branch of American soldiers in the Argoń Forest during planet War I, directed by Burton L. King) or “Deep Rally” (Soviet movie imagination of the attack on the USSR, a painting directed by Piotr Małachow from 1937).
The most controversial transmission of the first movie image of the current war in Ukraine, however, is the way to present the fighting parties in it. It does not straight mention the nationality of the fighting parties: alternatively of it we have “white” (in the Russian, Vainners' guess) and “yellow” (in the Ukrainians' guess). Both are professionals in war crafts. On the "yellow" side, there is no symbolism for which the Ukrainian side is so criticized. Both talk Russian. But it's not the only thing they have in common. 2 scenes are the most significant. In the first building in the apartment, which is collected laboriously from the wall, the Orthodox icon falls. First he will hang it back on the wall of the “yellow” soldier. After a while he dies and the whites enter the apartment. erstwhile again, the icon will be hanged by 1 of the “white” who will besides execute the motion of the cross. This is simply a clear mention to the Orthodox spiritual community connecting Ukrainians and Russians.
In 1 of the following scenes, we hear the dialog of 2 opposing troops commanders. We learn from it that the grandparents both gained Berlin in 1945. So there is simply a mention to the historical community of both nations. Without pointing to the attitude of any Ukrainian nationalists who stood on a completely different side during planet War II. And it is on this last subject that a large part of Russian propaganda of the present war is based.
The message is clear: indeed there is civilian war in Ukraine. The movie maker Szczegłow talks about it. It besides makes clear to the founder of Wagner Prigozhyn. Let us talk back to him: “Ukrainians are guys with the same steel balls as us. I showed it clearly in the movie The Best in Hell. Good. We Slavs should be arrogant of that.It’s okay. ” A controversial entrepreneur from St. Petersburg, wrapped in black legend in the West, besides points to the fact that all civilian war will yet end. "Open a book of any known commander or theorist of war – all proclaim the basic principle: treat your opponent with respect, do not overestimate your own strength and appreciate the strength of your opponent. It's 1 of the basics of success. That's why I don't see the point in spitting and ignoring someone. In fact, we're all Slavs, they just took the incorrect side now. I think 1 day, after this fight, erstwhile the broken bones grow, we'll go fuck up the neighbouring village together” – continues Prigożyn, summarizing the main message of the film.
One can argue about the remainder of the message carried by “The Best in Hell”. any will find in it apotheosis led by professionals armed with advanced weapons of armed combat. Heroes die 1 by one. But they die without any fear in their eyes. There is no fear in them, no thought of surrendering to his opponent. However, attention is drawn to the fact that they are all experienced, professional soldiers. There are no mobilizations, young and incapable to face people's own completely natural fears.
“White” and “yellow” are professionals fighting for all metre of war-torn urban space. After achieving the mark of massive losses, the narrator reports that it was only a insignificant incident, and the main task of acquiring the building allowed the military to solve the problem for just a very short time. Therefore, any viewers can see the full image of the anti-war message. Modern war is not a romanticist imagination of chivalry duels and not the clash of heroes in shining armor. It's a cruel element. Although any say that “The best in hell” is actually an advertisement as part of a run to recruit vasners, we, while being distant from war so far, can draw a simple conclusion from realistic images: we must do everything we can to avoid this conflict. due to the fact that it's not a game, it's all serious.
Mateusz Piskorski
“Best in Hell”, dir. Andrei Batov, scenes. Alexey Nagin, Anton Zimin, Aurum Production, Russia 2022.
Think Poland, No. 47-48 (20-27.11.2022)
