Yuri Khaschevatsky: «I was aware that such youth existed but I haven’t suspected that it is so numerous» :: Charter'97 :: News

A presentation of “Ploscha” documentary about the events of March 2006 in Minsk and about the people who dared to protest against the unprecedented fraud in Belarus was held in Warsaw. The organizer of the presentation the Union (Zviaz) for Support of Democracy in Belarus assumes that the presented documentary will draw a more complete picture of the events in the neighboring country.

“This documentary is about the events in Belarus, about the Belarusian youth who went out
to the central square of Minsk, Kalinousky square ,and who were not afraid to manifest their attitude to the events happening in the country. In this work I was looking for answers to the following questions: what forced the youth to such actions, what were their demands? I tried to express their thoughts, their ideals. In other words, the movie is devoted to the Belarusian new youth, to the new wave, which appeared so unexpectedly. Frankly speaking, for me, it was a surprise. I was aware that such youth existed but I haven’t suspected that it is so numerous,” emphasizes Yuri Khaschevatsky in his interview to the Deutsche Welle.

According to the director, a particular attention in the film has been paid to the problem of “ideological confrontation”.

“The Belarusian society has been split into two absolutely different, counterparts, different societies. Intelligent, educated, dignified, brave ones, on one side, and those who can’t imagine their life without dirt, fraud and hypocrisy, on the other side. I would admit, that now it will be adequate to speak not about the split but, actually, about the war of civilizations…”

Mirek Dzembinsky, famous Polish documentary director, who recently made a film about Belarus supposes that the documentary of the Belarusian director is very important and actual. ”I watched the latest work of Yuri Khaschevatsky with pleasure. It is very impressive and professional. And it is important, that it is not simply a chronicle of the Belarusian resistance but it reveals the depth and tragic character of the current Belarusian situation, it stimulates the spectator’s analyzing and thinking.“

In the near future the “Ploscha” is to be demonstrated at the international cinema festivals. Concerning its demonstration in Belarus Khaschevatsky is philosophical: ”It is clear that under such a regime a broad demonstration of the documentary is out of question. But, supposedly, we are going to face the repetition of the case with my ”Ordinary President” film which despite of all prohibitions found access to the spectator as it is impossible to prohibit the Internet or home video…Therefore, I don’t worry: the film movie will find its spectator.”