Anti-imperialistic film by Ivan Kavaleridze

For the first time in years of Ukraine’s independence retrospective screening of films by one of the founders of Ukrainian cinematography Ivan KAVALERIDZE dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the artist took place in cinema “Kyiv” from April 26 through May 2. The program included six films: Perekop (1930), Koliivshchyna (1931), Prometei (1936), Natalka Poltavka (1936), Hryhorii Skovoroda (1959), and Povia (1961).

The return of the movies of the talented film director on the big screen began with screening the film Povia – the last film made by the master based on the novel by Panas Myrny. The film was restored this year and was presented in the “Sinematyka” hall. Young actress Liudmila GURCHENKO performed her first major role in her life in this film.

Taking this opportunity, during the event The Day spoke with Serhii TRYMBACH, head of the National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine about preservation of the national cinematographic heritage and about Kavaleridze’s contribution to the cinema art of Ukraine.

Ivan Kavaleridze was a sculptor, film director, and playwright. In what sphere was his talent manifested the brightest?

“I would not make such a division. He was really an outstanding sculptor, but at the same time he was a great filmmaker. Kavaleridze belongs to the generation of those, who not only ‘gave birth’ to the Ukrainian cinema, but who also made a real art of it. Technologically filmmaking existed in Ukraine from the late 19th century, but it was only possible to bring it to the level of an art in the middle of the 20th century. What concerns the founders of Ukrainian cinematography, Kavaleridze without any doubt could be put on a par with Oleksandr Dovzhenko. However, films by Dovzhenko were shown in Europe, which is why his name was and still remains known to the intellectuals around the world. Kavaleridze wasn’t as lucky because his films made in the late 1920s and the early 1930s which can be viewed as a real phenomenon in the history of cinematography, unfortunately, remain unknown not only to the world’s community, but also to Ukrainian people. It is very unfortunate because he was an artist of European thinking and scale.

“Kavaleridze remained unknown due to his extremely tragic life. Almost everything he created in filmmaking was censored or was simply destroyed. The film Koliivshchyna was repeatedly refined and changed. Films Zlyva and Prometei were banned.

“In my opinion, it is a great fault of Ukrainian people that in 20 years we haven’t managed to professionally engage in preservation of national cinematic heritage. Kavaleridze is an example of this. Today we watch his films way too little and practically don’t analyze them. Today it is believed that films by Kavaleridze are not the top ranking or interesting show. Thus, these films are not even shown on the First National TV channel, not to mention the commercial channels.

“Kavaleridze must be fully reconsidered. We must restore all of his films. This has already been started. Now it is time for film critics, culture experts, and philosophers to revise and reconsider the works of this artist. In cinematographical circles there has matured the need for an international symposium devoted to this man. We must return Kavaleridze’s heritage into the context of Ukrainian art.”

Are Kavaleridze’s films relevant for Ukrainians nowadays?

“If to take it literally, then, of course, no, they are not. But as a cultural phenomenon – yes, definitely. If you think deeply about his cinematography heritage, you can find universal things there, which Ukrainians are suffering now.”

What is so special about Kavaleridze’s creative thinking? Some critics note the presence of excessive movement, which enhances the dynamics in shot.

“Quite on the contrary in early films of Kavaleridze there is too little movement. He came to cinema from sculpture, therefore, at first he was a director of statics. Sometimes he would have too much of statics in his films. It was clearly seen, because at that time short shots dominated in filmmaking. And then in later films Kavaleridze gave tribute to the fashion of that time – the movement and the so-called clip editing.

“In the 1930s there could be sensed the turn towards the restoration of the Empire’s values. In films by Kavaleridze there was visibly noticeable anti-imperialistic cultural orientation. That is why his works were not widely shown and after the famous speech of Nikita Khrushchev the Soviet system of cinematography gave up Kavaleridze as a hopeless case. Personally I like his early films Perekop and Shturmovi Nochi the most. I advise all fans of cinematography to view these films in the first place.”