Pugach, by young Belarusian director Sergey Kolosovsky, is to feature in the World of Short Films collection of masterpieces from recent years: winners and nominees of the most prestigious film festivals. Works are to be screened in Minsk, and across regional centres of Belarus, in June.
Scene from Pugach film
Writer and director Mr. Kolosovsky is a representative of young Belarusian cinema, born in Bobruisk in 1982. His first higher education is legal psychology and he is a graduate of the Warsaw Film School. His repertoire includes such short films as The Path to Paradise is Closed, A Letter, Dreaming of Mexico, The Bet, and Pugach. Of the latter, he notes that it was his long-held desire to make a film about the musical instrument. He once studied the flute but he gave up his dream of becoming a professional musician.
He explains, “It symbolises my missed opportunity. I had the idea of creating a story about boys, based largely on my memories. The point is simple: we all face choices. We might work towards an illusive future dream, as in childhood, where tomorrow seems so far away, or we can live in the here and now. This is a film about choice. The main character takes a wiser decision than I did as a boy; he is stronger. I was able to realise my own ‘lost dreams’ through his character.”
Aside from Pugach, audiences will see six short films: produced in the United Kingdom, the USA, and Germany, as well as joint productions from Japan, the USA and Singapore. The six are: Phone Call (an Oscar winner in 2015 for ‘Best Short Film’); Boogaloo and Graham (nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for ‘Best Short Film’); multi film festival winner Shooter (‘Best Short Film’ at the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2014); Food (nearly two dozen cinema prizes and participant of 100 film festivals); Harry Grows (the ‘Audience Award’ at the Los Angeles Comedy Shorts Fest in 2014 and ‘Best Comedy’ at the Atlanta Shorts Fest in 2013); and Oh, Lucy! (jury prize for ‘Best Short Film’ at 2015’s Sundance, in addition to numerous prizes and awards).
By Anastasia Shoplya
