What will they say in Sochi?

Alexey Balabanov’s film “Cargo 200” was shown at Kinotavr on June 8, that is, just last night, so it is not yet known how the cinematic community concentrated in Sochi reacted to this extraordinary, tough and controversial film. Although the public was gradually prepared for this event, fearing both the excessive rage of defenders of the Soviet past and rejection from fans of the “bright and good”: they organized “closed screenings”, after which those who “could not remain silent” spoke out in the press or on the sidelines, which in turn again provoked discussion. And yet, what will they say in Sochi? How will the film community react? as figures in the film market (according to rumors, they had already seen the film a couple of months ago and left in bewilderment, and it is clear that this is not a continuation of the immortal “The Irony of Fate”, which the zealous Konstantin Ernst is preparing to print in a thousand copies); What will the ordinary and not ordinary residents of Sochi, the elegant audience warmed by the southern sun, who are much more pleased with the sweet “Cook” than the corpses and flies presented for show by Alexei Balabanov, feel after the session?

In my opinion, it’s not worth describing a film that will be released in theaters in a week, although I would like to. It’s better to watch for yourself, especially since the director is not lacking in the ability to captivate the viewer, and “Cargo 200” cannot be called boring in any case.

There are already so many contradictory opinions about Balabanov’s new film that I want to discuss not so much the movie itself (it’s definitely better to watch), but the reaction to which it provokes viewers.

The very first and most superficial level - Balabanov made an anti-Soviet film and did it at a time when society was hooked on nostalgia and sweet dreams that “it was better before,” and that part that is not the electorate, but, on the contrary, actively he molds a new “scoop” to fit these dreams. And so he hits them with “Cargo 200” from memory - remember how the diapers themselves got dirty! Do you remember? Didn't it seem a little?

Another option is that Balabanov made a film in which he freed his own complexes: fascination with violence; human admiration for strength and artistic admiration for pathology; and tried to realize from what terrible dreams they appeared to him.

And finally, there were opinions that this terrible and unrealistic nightmare expressed our eternal, including today’s, defenselessness in front of an aggressive and ruthless world, where the social or political component is just a mask of a real nightmare, where the thought of salvation is in vain (and there is no Savior ), where everyone is for himself, and where there is no hope, because in the end we are all the same notorious “Cargo 200”, sent to the wrong address - to where no one is waiting for us.

At the same time, I deliberately do not touch upon any nonsense like: the film was made for the Western public, which expects from Russian cinema all sorts of abominations that expose its own people (such opinions exist and will exist, but what can you do, you can’t say congratulations for every sneeze).

In general, everyone will choose their own version. But there is one thing that causes bewilderment not only in connection with Balabanov’s film, but which can prevent smart and even subtle people from approaching “Cargo 200” with an open mind. This is a state that is difficult to describe otherwise than with the words: “Oh, take it away, I don’t want to see anything heavy and painful. Just don’t tell me, I’m scared!” And mind you, these are not Turgenev’s girls at all, not gentle young ladies with sensitive nerves, but completely mature individuals with extensive life experience. It seems that it has now become considered good form to protect yourself from strong impressions, sharp sounds and heartbreaking sights. They say that this is a reaction to the dominance of negative impressions: we do not want to know anything about the bad in order to protect our psyche, traumatized by television news, the sight of drunken homeless people on the street, or the threat of terrorist attacks hanging over every citizen.

Let's, these people say, look at something pleasant, beautiful, kind, as if this will make real life less tragic. I remember that at the dawn of perestroika, the results of research conducted by certain psychologists and sociologists were made public... They made up two control groups of young children: one read folk tales, and the other read Soviet edifying children's stories about what is good and what is Badly. So, the children from the first group (those who were read essentially scary stories about how someone is swallowed, kidnapped, or intended to be put in an oven) turned out to be much more developed emotionally - they actively sympathized with those in trouble, and more often sought to help , but others were much better able to talk about goodness, conscience and mutual assistance.

Fear for your nerves is the development of a fear of experiences that is pathological for society, an infantile belief that if you bury your head in the sand, trouble will pass you by, and someone - big and kind - will certainly protect you from adversity, all children will find adoptive parents parents, all women have handsome and rich husbands, and all men have fashionable cars and a bank account. And when in reality everything turns out to be different, you just need to close your eyes tighter and say “crex, fex, pex” - and everything will be fine.

It won't. Watch Balabanov's film.

Alena Solntseva