Specially for PRIPYAT.COM.

═

Interview with Rollan Sergienko, the director of the most well-known films about Chernobyl ...

02.02.2006

Interview with Rollan Sergienko, the director of the most well-known films about Chernobyl...

═

Brief about the films:═ "Bell of the Chernobyl" (1986); "Threshold" (1988);═ "Do not ask on whom the bell calls" (1989 ); "Bell calls on you" (1989); "Approximation to the Apocalypse", "Chernobyl beside" (1991 ); "Chernobyl. Funeral feast" (1993); "Chernobyl. Epilogue" (1996); "Chernobyl - 2001. The last will" (2001 )═ ...

═

Reductions: R.S. - Rollan Sergienko

═════════════════ A. S. - Alexander Sirota

═

A.S. The question, probably, already traditional for everyone who is somehow connected to the City: When you for the first time have seen Pripyat √ up to, or after the Chernobyl disaster?

═

R.S. For the first time I have appeared in Pripyat at the end of May, 1986, that is, already after there was the accident. I appeared there, already having started work on the film "Bell of Chernobyl". I appeared there, already having visited the station, the destroyed station, and also in the bunker, the tunnel under the station, and on the roof 4 blocks. For the first time I appeared there, already having started work on the film "Bell of Chernobyl". I appeared there, already having visited the station, the destroyed station, and also in the bunker, in the tunnel under the station, and on the roof 4 blocks. I appeared there, already having seen and having understood, what exactly happened, feeling by the skin, by the heart, by the soul all power of this tragedy, which has taken place and which has touched (not could no to touch) the thousands and thousands, and may be and the millions people.

═

A.S. You was by one of the first cinematographers, who came to the destroyed station, that to make film about it. Why? What was it? A sincere impulse, a civic duty or the task of a film studio?

═

R.S. R.S. Still before as I appeared in Chernobyl, I already have understood, that there has taken place, sensing that atmosphere, which involuntarily was in the air, I felt, that it is necessary now to put aside all cares, the filmings of other films... And to aspire there, to Chernobyl, that to fix in the film all, that exactly occurs there. And already at the road, I have received the sanction on that┘ It is a long history and a lot about it already was told ┘ Then we had the feeling of the war, which has occurred on our eyes, of the nuclear war, about which we heard in the childhood, at school and knew, that it can take place.

It is a long history and a lot about it already was told ┘

Then we had the feeling of the war, which has occurred on our eyes, of the nuclear war, about which we heard in the childhood, at school and knew, that it can take place. Therefore, certainly, we wanted to transfer it to all spectators, this feeling of the affinity of the Threshold, of the affinity of that border, which separates this world from another, a life from death, memory from oblivion ┘ Perhaps, we are always on this Threshold. And Chernobyl has shown us as far as this Threshold is close...

═

A. S. I know, you are familiar with widows of the first lost heroes, and with many others people of Pripyat. What meetings and what destinies are especially memorable for you?

═

R.S. I cannot separate the widows from the children, which have died of Chernobyl, to divide, to outline someone from them. I remember, how ┘ Excuse me, I want to tell a little bit about another┘ ═I remember, how you, still small boy, frequently fell asleep on the hands of your mum at the meetings of the people of Pripyat, on which I was present too┘About such I more would like to remember and to speak. It is silly and cruelly to speak about those sobbings, about those silent tears, about shouts through the squeezed teeth of mothers and wives on the Mitingsky cemetery near Moskow and ═on the court, which occurred in 1987 in Chernobyl...

Sasha, I want to tell to you, that just with this purpose I have made all my films, in them I and have transferred all, that I saw that I felt that I heard... I ask you, and everyone, for whom you write down these my inconsistent, clumsy words, to look all those films, which I have made about Chernobyl, from the first up to the last. I very much want, that people have seen and have felt not only by a mind, but also by a heart and soul, what such Chernobyl... What such Pripyat...═ And now I think the same as then, when I made those films┘ And now I think the same as then, when I made those films┘ If, there was an opportunity to show these films to ALL people perhaps something would change in the world, in understanding of this world. However for now, 20 years later, it seems to me, that people so and have not learned anything... Till now they don't want to know, to understand that only one instant, one mistake separates us from a chasm┘

═

A.S. Rollan Petrovich, I think, that we can undertake a part of this important mission. If you not against, we can place your films at the site "Pripyat.com", whence all interested people can download and look them.

My next question will again about Pripyat. You was there very much frequently, beginning √ fro m the filming of the film "Bell of Chernobyl', and to √ the filming of the film "Chernobyl 2001. √ The last will". Actually, on your eyes the city has died and grew by trees, gradually turning to the jungle... ═Perhaps, there were any especial events, impressions, situations, which you can't forget never?═

═

R.S. You know, one moment was there, which I remember especially and I would like to tell about it.

Already 2 years later after the Chernobyl catastrophe, we have filmed one of episodes of film "Threshold" in Pripyat at the street of "Friendship of peoples". Then the remarkable operator, selfless documentalist Georgy Kuzmich Yepifanov has helped me. Also during that moment Svetlana Yovenko √ wonderful poetess was with us there. In time of this work we have suddenly found the crushed watch, the mechanism of which has fallen out. And the small, red ant crept on this crushed watch, climbing up on the gears and falling down from them, and trying to overcome them again and again ┘

It was necessary to see this picture √ the ant, which tries to master a gear personifying Time, and having stood above him Svetlana Yovenko, who constraining breath to not frighten off him, look how Georgy Kuzmich filming of the ant, which struggles with the destroyed watch, with broken time┘

And in it was the fantastic image √ the image, which it's impossible to transfer by words ┘ It is necessary to make film, how all this was filmed... ══

By the way, I want to make a new ninth and last film about Chernobyl. Because all the same the numeral nine is more finished, than eight ═┘

I hope, all of that √ in future...

═

A.S. And I hope for it ┘

Rollan Petrovich, it seems to me, what our city can be very important factor of that the tragedy of Chernobyl will not be forgotten. I know, that many people, who already visited Pripyat speak: all, that they saw there have simply changed their life and that from this moment they already never can't live so, as earlier. To tell the truth, in City there are also other visitors. You, saw, probably, that even the metal designs of many buildings were disassembled by marauders. And now, in Pripyat have appeared still and graffiti. The some people consider, that thus the city will look more brightly. However in opinion of majority of my familiar people of Pripayt and of those, for whom this town is dear √ it is simply vandalism. It's all the same, what to paint a monuments on tombs like a nested dolls. In this connection, at us the idea was born, to begin campaign of the petition in support of granting of Pripyat of the status of a museum, what to protect it not only from the marauding and vandalism of such visitors, but and from similar officials too. What do you think about this initiative? Whether you'll subscribe under such Appeal?

═

R.S. Of course┘ Of course. In my opinion the graffiti of Pripyat it is the certificate of the poverty of thought at the people, which have made it. Certainly, I would like, that Pripyat and Chernobyl have remained an eternal reminder to all mankind, because it is necessary to remember always √ up to what line it's possible to approach and what Threshold the people should not cross never. If they wants to live, of course. And, certainly, I shall necessarily sign your Appeal.

═

A.S. As you think, today, almost 20 years later, whether all of us remember the lessons of Chernobyl? Or we are not ready to go in the future without such terrible mistakes, losses and tragedies?

For, after last conclusion of the United Nations about Chernobyl, after loud statements of politicians, for necessity of creation of storehouses OJAT in the Chernobyl zone, I had feeling that we again have returned to the same Threshold...

═

R. S. Unfortunately, I not saw the text of last conclusion of the United Nations about consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. Therefore I shall tell only about one thing, that if it is the truth, that someone want to make the world dump of nuclear waste products on the Chernobyl zone, it is inadmissible. And if I shall make my 9-th film about Chernobyl, I shall make all that will be in my forces, that it has not taken place, of course┘ Once my old comrade, has told to me, that the end of the world will come here, in Ukraine. I, certainly, have not believed him then┘ But now when I hear about these assumptions, of these desires, to make the general dump in Ukraine, in the heart of Europe, I think, that it can be that first step to execution of this gloomy prophecy. It is a fatal way. This crime, but a crime not only before the Ukrainian land, but also before all world, before the planet on which we live.

Yesterday I have looked the film on which I defended the diploma. Thank God, it was kept. In fact, already 50 years has passed. And though this film has already lost color, has lost quality, but I very much want to show it to you, if God will give us and we shall meet in Kiev. If we shall alive up to it, I shall necessarily show... Initial name of this film was "Inevitability". But then, the management was frightened by the word "inevitability", and they have demanded urgently to change the name. And then we have solved, that we shall take as the name for this film the one line from the poem of remarkable Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet, poems of which have been used in this film. And the film got the name "I like the earth". In the end of the film is such text: "The best sea √ it is the sea, that we still have not crossed. The best years √ it is the years, in which we still have not lived"┘ ═

Always there is a hope, and in the world is not too a lot of the really inevitable things. And for you, young people, quite on the forces to make this world better┘

═

Photo 1 (Rollan Sergienko with his wife Elena)═══

Photo 2

═

═