Russian filmmaker and artist Ilya Khrzhanovsky says the next three films from his multi-format DAU project will be released next year, and he hop
Russian filmmaker and artist Ilya Khrzhanovsky says the next three films from his multi-format DAU project will be released next year, and he hopes to find them festival berths.
“The main movie is DAU: Mother,” said Khrzhanovsky, speaking to Screen at Sarajevo Film Festival where he is subject of the ‘Tribute to’ programme. “I spent the last two and a half years finishing it; it will be ready next year.”
With DAU. Natasha and DAU. Degeneration having launched at the 2020 Berlinale, that leaves nine further features from a total of 14, which Khrzhanovsky hopes will all be released in the coming years, in both cinemas and on streaming platforms. He is also currently editing two TV series from the footage he shot over four years from 2007 to 2011.
The DAU project was financed by private investors including Russian businessman and philanthropist Sergey Adoniev. Khrzhanovsky said Adoniev has not put any money into DAU for seven years; and the “not much money” required for post-production is coming from producer Philippe Bober’s Coproduction Office, private investors and his own money.
The filmmaker said he is having “conversations” with streaming platforms about taking on the projects; but is also continuing work on his own platform to present DAU, taking into account the project’s multi-disciplinary nature.
Khrzhanovsky says he has “a few film and not film projects” that are separate from DAU, but that he opus remains his “responsibility”, especially in featherlight of the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine.
“I want to bring this project to the people,” said the director. “The meaning of the project and the movies is completely different than it was [when we started]. Now, after this criminal war which Putin started against Ukraine, and in a way against the whole civilised world, it’s hugely important to try to understand the nature of this evil. I think DAU shows this nature very precisely.”
Israel
Khrzhanovsky is based in Berlin; he renounced his Russian citizenship last year and is a prominent critic of the country’s political regime.
He was also artistic director of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center in Kyiv, Ukraine from 2020 to 2023.
The filmmaker, who is Jewish, discussed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East and said he is concerned at the rise of anti-semitism across the world.
“I love Israel, but what’s happening in the West Bank and Gaza is terrible; and that this kind of politics is generating such a huge wave of anti-semitism everywhere,” said Khrzhanovsky.
He said that his son, having studied at University College London, moved to Israel following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and is now reporting on “the reality in the West Bank with Palestinian villages.”
“He’s risking his life being there, fighting against the political state of Israel,” said Khrzhanovsky. “He’s really radical left-wing. I don’t agree with him 100%, I don’t agree with him on many positions, but in some positions I start to understand the logic.”
Khrzhanovsky also commented on the criticism of Mubi for its $100m funding from investment firm Sequoia Capital, which also funds an Israeli defence technology operation.
“Mubi doesn’t promote anything pro-war or pro-genocide,” said the filmmaker. “Mubi is doing good movies which make people better.” People protesting against such funding “cannot be destroying good companies – that’s my position,” said Khrzhanovskiy.
The filmmaker had given a masterclass on Wednesday, August 20 in which he detailed several bizarre requests he made during the DAU production. “We brought 70 tonnes of cabbage because I wanted to get the feeling of human heads,” said Khrzhanovsky. “That’s why we put some concrete on them.”
The final shoot cost “more than €20m”, Khrhzhanovsky added.
Sarajevo Film Festival continues until Friday, August 22.
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