Oleksandr Dovzhenko Studios: to Be or not to Be?
The big question: What is actually happening to Ukrainian culture in general and national cinematography in particular? What is one to expect? The Day discussed these and other important topics with Mykola Mashchenko, a noted Ukrainian film director, manager of Oleksandr Dovzhenko Studios, in his comfortable office.
M.M.: I visited Poland recently and was witness to the spectacular success of Jerzy Hoffman's With Fire and Sword . My Polish friends were delighted by Bohdan Stupka and then someone told me Hoffman had intended to make this production at the Dovzhenko Studios ten years ago.
It is true and the film gladdens and pains my heart at the same time. Ten years ago Jerzy and I made an agreement to have all location shooting in Ukraine, based at Dovzhenko Studios. It was actually part of the script. Our studios received commissions for costumes, props, the works. After finishing production all this property remained at the studios and could be used for another production, Bohdan Khmelnytsky . In other words, we could have made two major pictures ten years back that would help our people understand one another better, especially in terms of national history. But then Тbig-time patriotsУ — poets and film directors — stepped in and raised a big fuss, claiming this would be an un-Ukrainian project. Well, the project was buried. I told them at the time that Jerzy Hoffman would mange without our help. He did.
The Day : Ten years ago you experienced ideological pressure and this prevented you from functioning the way you thought best. Currently, you are under economic pressure. Do you see any prospects or is it a blind alley?
M.M.: The ongoing economic crisis has produced its most devastating effect on Ukraine's film industry. Film directors and directors of photography cannot work normally. Unlike writers and painters, they are completely dependent on equipment and technical supplies, including film/tape and many other things that cost a lot. All this makes us wrack our brains trying to earn something on the side.
The Day : It stands to reason that the state should finance the filmmaking process, at least partially. Or provide a legal framework to help patrons willing to finance certain productions in Ukraine.
M.M.: Some film directors manage to raise budgets by the skin of their teeth. Sometimes they receive government subsidies, but more often than not the government decides on an allocation and the decision is never carried out, ТoverlookedУ somewhere down the bureaucratic chain of command. Besides, we do not have the right kind of laws. Somehow the state cannot grasp the idea that quality filmmaking can be made possible only by ridding people of all those exorbitant taxes, so as to encourage investors to support cultural and social projects. Given today's complete devastation of the films-for- hire network, moviemaking is no longer profitable in Ukraine. We have applied to the Verkhovna Rada and other power structures on more occasions than we care to remember. I can give you an example. Viacheslav Kryshtofovych's French-Ukrainian project Dead Man's Friend. At the time there were people willing to invest very handsome money, so we asked the authorities to make such investments tax-exempt. We found support at the highest level, yet the decision was blocked somewhere down the bureaucratic line. And I could also tell you that there is a presidential edict, legally valid for several years, concerning national cultural facilities and financing. The Dovzhenko Studios is mentioned in the second line of the document, yet we haven't received a single kopek's worth of government subsidies.
The Day : In other words, the Studios' efficiency has been reduced by 90%, hasn't it?
M.M.: That's right. Ninety percent. Yet we remain operational, provided no one throws any monkey wrenches into our works from upstairs. We made an agreement with the 1+1 television channel and received a million dollars worth of revenues. We decided to by modern moviemaking equipment, because what we call the technical basis is the main prerequisite of cooperation with filmmakers abroad interested in our specialists. We asked the state to lift the taxes and customs duties, considering that we wanted to reequip a government-run film company. Our formal request was formally granted, yet the customs service has been after us for the past four months, demanding $300,000 in terms of tax payments. If we do not pay they will not clear the equipment through customs. Now can you tell me what the hell is going on? You will say that the customs people are to blame. Yes, they are, but if all those smart VR deputies would pass normal, civilized laws, we would not have to go upstairs begging for tax exemptions.
The Day : Indeed, your past activities deserve every praise, but there is the question of your prospects. Nothing to write home about here, is there?
M.M.: We have received some money by way of budget allocations and made films directed by Mykhailo Belikov, Viacheslav Kryshtofovych, and Andriy Benkendorf. Oles Yanchuk is finishing work on his Commander of the Immortal Army , with some government subsidies, but largely owing to foreign investors. Liudmyla Yefimova is making her debut as a film director finishing her picture Ave Maria. Dmytro Tomashpolsky is getting ready to start on the science fiction comedy Hello, Everybody! There are reasons to expect budget allocations for two large projects that are extremely important for Ukraine: Yuri Ilyenko's Mazepa and my long-cherished dream Bohdan Khmelnytsky.
The Day : Good luck. May this long-cherished dream finally come true!
Interviewed by Borys KURITSYN
The big question: What is actually happening to Ukrainian culture in general and national cinematography in particular? What is one to expect? The Day discussed these and other important topics with Mykola Mashchenko, a noted Ukrainian film director, manager of Oleksandr Dovzhenko Studios, in his comfortable office.
M.M.: I visited Poland recently and was witness to the spectacular success of Jerzy Hoffman's With Fire and Sword . My Polish friends were delighted by Bohdan Stupka and then someone told me Hoffman had intended to make this production at the Dovzhenko Studios ten years ago.
It is true and the film gladdens and pains my heart at the same time. Ten years ago Jerzy and I made an agreement to have all location shooting in Ukraine, based at Dovzhenko Studios. It was actually part of the script. Our studios received commissions for costumes, props, the works. After finishing production all this property remained at the studios and could be used for another production, Bohdan Khmelnytsky . In other words, we could have made two major pictures ten years back that would help our people understand one another better, especially in terms of national history. But then Тbig-time patriotsУ — poets and film directors — stepped in and raised a big fuss, claiming this would be an un-Ukrainian project. Well, the project was buried. I told them at the time that Jerzy Hoffman would mange without our help. He did.
The Day : Ten years ago you experienced ideological pressure and this prevented you from functioning the way you thought best. Currently, you are under economic pressure. Do you see any prospects or is it a blind alley?
M.M.: The ongoing economic crisis has produced its most devastating effect on Ukraine's film industry. Film directors and directors of photography cannot work normally. Unlike writers and painters, they are completely dependent on equipment and technical supplies, including film/tape and many other things that cost a lot. All this makes us wrack our brains trying to earn something on the side.
The Day : It stands to reason that the state should finance the filmmaking process, at least partially. Or provide a legal framework to help patrons willing to finance certain productions in Ukraine.
M.M.: Some film directors manage to raise budgets by the skin of their teeth. Sometimes they receive government subsidies, but more often than not the government decides on an allocation and the decision is never carried out, ТoverlookedУ somewhere down the bureaucratic chain of command. Besides, we do not have the right kind of laws. Somehow the state cannot grasp the idea that quality filmmaking can be made possible only by ridding people of all those exorbitant taxes, so as to encourage investors to support cultural and social projects. Given today's complete devastation of the films-for- hire network, moviemaking is no longer profitable in Ukraine. We have applied to the Verkhovna Rada and other power structures on more occasions than we care to remember. I can give you an example. Viacheslav Kryshtofovych's French-Ukrainian project Dead Man's Friend. At the time there were people willing to invest very handsome money, so we asked the authorities to make such investments tax-exempt. We found support at the highest level, yet the decision was blocked somewhere down the bureaucratic line. And I could also tell you that there is a presidential edict, legally valid for several years, concerning national cultural facilities and financing. The Dovzhenko Studios is mentioned in the second line of the document, yet we haven't received a single kopek's worth of government subsidies.
The Day : In other words, the Studios' efficiency has been reduced by 90%, hasn't it?
M.M.: That's right. Ninety percent. Yet we remain operational, provided no one throws any monkey wrenches into our works from upstairs. We made an agreement with the 1+1 television channel and received a million dollars worth of revenues. We decided to by modern moviemaking equipment, because what we call the technical basis is the main prerequisite of cooperation with filmmakers abroad interested in our specialists. We asked the state to lift the taxes and customs duties, considering that we wanted to reequip a government-run film company. Our formal request was formally granted, yet the customs service has been after us for the past four months, demanding $300,000 in terms of tax payments. If we do not pay they will not clear the equipment through customs. Now can you tell me what the hell is going on? You will say that the customs people are to blame. Yes, they are, but if all those smart VR deputies would pass normal, civilized laws, we would not have to go upstairs begging for tax exemptions.
The Day : Indeed, your past activities deserve every praise, but there is the question of your prospects. Nothing to write home about here, is there?
M.M.: We have received some money by way of budget allocations and made films directed by Mykhailo Belikov, Viacheslav Kryshtofovych, and Andriy Benkendorf. Oles Yanchuk is finishing work on his Commander of the Immortal Army , with some government subsidies, but largely owing to foreign investors. Liudmyla Yefimova is making her debut as a film director finishing her picture Ave Maria. Dmytro Tomashpolsky is getting ready to start on the science fiction comedy Hello, Everybody! There are reasons to expect budget allocations for two large projects that are extremely important for Ukraine: Yuri Ilyenko's Mazepa and my long-cherished dream Bohdan Khmelnytsky.
The Day : Good luck. May this long-cherished dream finally come true!
Interviewed by Borys KURITSYN
Newspaper output №:
№29, (1999)Section
Culture
