In defense of Sentsov and others

On Sunday, a solidarity evening with political prisoners of Crimea was held in Moscow

In May 2014, four young people were detained in Crimea, who soon charged with terrorism and illegal turnover of weapons. Among them are director Oleg Sentsov, an activist of Avtodana and the author of the film "Gamer", and activist Alexander Kolchenko.

Many Russian and European filmmakers have been defended by Sentsov, among whom are directors such as Alexander Sokurov, Boris Khlebnikov, Kirill Serebrennikov, Pedro Almodovar, aki Kaurisma, Ken Low, Mike Lee, Bertrand Tavernier, Kshyshtof Zanussi, Vim Venders. Letters in defense of Sentsov sent a European film academic and cinema union of Russia.

At the evening in Moscow, they showed Sentsov's film "Gamer". Before showing the film was a film critic, observer of Novaya Gazeta Larisa Malyukova:

- I must say that this is not the first time I am in support of Oleg Sentsov. A similar event was during the Moscow festival. I would like to clarify that not within the framework of the Moscow festival, that, in my opinion, the person who has cinema was offended. Because now the Venetian festival and filmmakers of the Venetian festival are taking care of concern about the fate of the colleague. This is accepted in the civilized world, in the cultural world and in the cinematic world especially. Cinematographers always act in defense of political prisoners. And the point is not only in Sentsov. The matter is generally in principle. In the same way, they act in defense of Chinese filmmakers, who are now problems, etc.

- What are you going to tell people who gather at this evening?

- The film that people will watch was shot two years ago. He is no longer any news. Therefore, it seems to me that it is important to use the show of the film, about which I will talk about how another opportunity to remind this person, to remind the authorities that society is not indifferent, what is happening to Sentsov. This is a gifted person, and the picture is interesting, but this is not of paramount importance. The fact is that young directors and young people should have the future. This is one of the rights that is not recorded in the Constitution, but this is the right to the future. And this right is clearly infringed, because among other things it is known that Oleg Sentsov in Bulgaria at the international competition won the presentation of a new project as part of the Sofia International Festival. His new project "rhino" - it should have been his next picture, and now it is not. A man sits in dungeons.

- Do you think such events can demonstrate the authorities of society?

- I would pose this way: how effective is this method of influence? I think it is not very effective. But I consider it consistent to be guided by the point of view of Lyudmila Ulitskaya, who says: to the question of what to do today in a situation, quite alarming and very difficult, I answer-to do something. It seems to me that it is easiest for us now, a hamster, to climb into our minks, to sit and say - "nothing is impossible." To do what is currently possible to do - it seems to me that this is right.

-Can the voice of artists have somehow influence?

- Oddly enough, it seems to me that it is indirectly possible. Because, yes, our authorities are very bad, and sometimes even negatively act in response to some letters, our exits to the street and so on. Nevertheless, some strong, powerful performances of international cinema community, especially when these are star names, they somehow act ... I will not say about the upper leadership itself, this is a difficult topic, but the deputies are mainly not a large caliber. For them, these names and statements of this kind are important ... Yes, it can not be very strong, but these are those points of at least some intersection.