Film: Russia 88
Year of production: 2009
UK Release date: 9th May 2011
Distributor: Safecracker
Certificate: 18
Running time: 104 mins
Director: Pavel Bardin
Starring: Pyotr Fyodorov, Mikhail Polyakov, Archibald Archibaldovic, Aleksandr Makarov, Vera Strokova
Genre: Crime/Drama
Format: DVD
Country of Production: Russia
Language: Russian
Review by: Mark Player
After causing quite a bit of a stir in its Russian homeland, to the point where it is was banned from being publicly exhibited; Pavel Bardin's stark mockumentary Russia 88 has been unleashed on DVD in the UK through independent distributor Safecracker Pictures.
A young fascist, nicknamed Abraham (Mikhail Polyakov), is documenting the exploits of a local sect of white power skinheads with his video camera. The gang are content with being filmed, using Abraham's camera to produce a variety of right-wing propaganda videos with the intention of uploading them to the internet.
The gang and their leader, Sasha aka 'Blade' (Pyotr Fyodorov), operate under the guiding hand of the chapter master Kliment (Archibald Archibaldovic), who owns a rundown gymnasium in which the group meet, hand out and organise their various hate crimes.
Abraham's camera starts to favour Blade's story within the group, prying into his home-life and exposing the tense relationship he has with his “liberal” father (Aleksandr Makarov) and the loving/protective bond he shares with his sister, Julia (Vera Strokova). It comes as no surprise then that when Blade discovers that his sister is dating a south Caucasian man, violence ensues...
A curious blend of This Is England (2007), Romper Stomper (1992) and Man Bites Dog (1992), Russia 88 strives to be an authentic slice of cinéma vérité that illuminates a growing social-political issue that is becoming increasingly unstable, and, for the most part, is successful in this regard. Writer/director Pavel Bardin has based his script on various real-life incidences, as well as taking inspiration from the litany of white power propaganda videos that can be found on websites such as YouTube.
The film, taking on a documentary approach from the outset, is designed to appear like we are watching the raw, unedited footage from the camera's tape, which is interestingly realised. Scenes start late or end prematurely. Old footage from the tape appears between recordings, mostly of Blade and his sister playing with their dog – then a puppy, now adult. Flash-frames of abstract imagery, as well as spur of the moment, incidental asides shot by Abraham whilst using the same tape: a plane flying overhead, himself in the mirror practising his Nazi salute, etc.
Production values are surprisingly decent for a film of this style. The quality of the image is pretty good; you feel as though you are watching a film with some cinematic merit as opposed to some cheap and badly put together DV nonsense. Usually, the mockumentary format is used as an excuse by filmmakers for bad framing, editing and questionable acting. That isn't the case here, with most shots having a sense of purpose and reason. The film doesn't feel staged; Bardin has found a workable balance between his film looking like a convincing slice of amateur videography, whilst being shot in a way that best serves the narrative. Russia 88 has a knack for disguising a lot of information in scenes that feel irrelevant.
Another surprising factor is that the film's controversy doesn't stem from overly violent or sexual content – a recent example of this being A Serbian Film – but by extreme political views. Sometimes this plays out in darkly comedic fashion: the ineptitude of some of the propaganda videos they shoot for instance, or the amateur vox-pops they conduct with people in the street. Whenever somebody offers an opinion contrary to their own, the camera shuts off, cutting to another interviewee who does share their “Russia is for Russians” manifesto. It is the xenophobic ideals that gives Russia 88 its shock value. The handful of violent incidences are tastefully realised, eschewing copious and fake looking blood theatrics and, instead, suggesting it through the edit, making it feel more realistic.
Performances are solid, if unspectacular, but are good enough to carry the film. Fyodorov makes for a decent lead, evoking a convincing naturalism and appearing comfortable with the continual breaking of the fourth wall that's required; addressing many of his thoughts directly to the camera, i.e. the audience. However, the real lead in all this is surely the cameraman, Abraham, who is able to talk the talk, but whether he can walk the walk is another matter that sometimes comes into question. Other cast members – with perhaps the exception of Strokova's sister and Archibaldovic's master – on the other hand, feel fairly superfluous and aren't as well developed.
On the downside, the overall narrative feels weak, acting like a social-realist slice of this group's everyday goings on rather than a full fledged plot, and doesn't really start to take effect until the final act. That's not to say that Russia 88 is a waste of time or a missed opportunity, but the end result is perhaps not as emotionally impactful or arresting as it could be. There is a certain bravery to be had when making a film of this ilk, as it can easily rub certain social groups up the wrong way - most likely the reason for its severely limited public screenings - and that on its own makes the film worthwhile. If a nation's cinema acts as a mirror for that society, then Russia has a very ugly and disturbing reflection indeed.
Russia 88 might not be considered 'entertaining' in the traditional sense of the word; however, its conviction and sheer willingness to explore the darker recesses of Russia's social climate demands your appreciation. It probably won't convert anybody, nor will it likely bring significant levels of exposure and attention to the problem for it to get solved anytime soon, but that doesn't stop the fact that the film remains mildly interesting. Russia 88, while definitely not for everyone, is worth a look. MP
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