PLOSCHTSCHA (KALINOVSKI SQUARE)
Belarus, Estonia 2007 – Director: Jurij Chaschtschewatskij (Yury Khashchavatski) – Original language: Belarusian, Russian – Subtitles: English – Length: 87 min.
In March 2006 scenes of unrest in Minsk, during Belarus' presidential elections led observers to believe that things might turn out as they had done16 months previously in Kiev. The public were no longer willing to put up with oppression, manipulation and vote rigging. Even the Belarusian dictator Lukaschenko was surprised when demonstrators erected tents in the ice and snow in Kalinowskij Square, named after the freedom fighter of the 19th century. For days the protestors held strong while they were affronted by plain clothed policemen and paid agitators until they were finally violently dispersed and many of them were arrested.
Kalinovski Square is the latest instalment in Belarus' most celebrated film director's long-standing and personally dangerous conflict with Lukaschenko. With his astonishing material and ironic and direct discourses Chaschtschewatskij speaks out about resistance and persecution, displaying an overwhelming will for freedom.
"This is the square, which they called after their favourite hero, in the happy minutes of opposing lies, cynicism and violence. They rose on that square and this is forever... At all times and all epochs people dreamt about freedom and gained it. But only after fighting for it and winning." Jurij Chaschtschewatskij
English/Original Title: Kalinovski Square. Writer: Jurij Chaschtschewatskij, Jewgenij Budinas, Sergej Isakow. Camera: Wladimir Petrow, Sergej Gelbach, Dima Zawadskij, und weitere ungenannte. Sound: Vasilij Schitikow, Tiina Andreas. Editing: Dmitrij Piwowarow, Kaspar Kallas. Production: Baltic Film Production. Producer: Marianna Kaat.
