To the anniversary of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant Ukrainian film company produced a 4-episode series.
During the 27 years that have passed since the Chernobyl accident, the filmmakers have repeatedly appealed to the topic. But the problems that humanity faced due to the tragedy of Chernobyl, are so comprehensive, that no film is able to show it in full. Therefore, feature films made over the years, have significant differences in genre and theme: from philosophical reflection film "Disintegration" by Mikhail Belikov to art-house picture "On Saturday" by Alexander Mindadze and outright horror ("Forbidden Zone" Bradley Parker and "Monsters" by Sergei Kuchkov).
And now - the new film "Inseparable" produced by Ukrainian company FILM.UA. Correspondent of "UK" attended the pre-screening of the film.
According to the filmmakers, this is not art-house cinema, but an ordinary film that is understandable to all. The miniseries tells the fate of a boy and a girl whose life is forever changed by the accident. The plot - a love story of a schoolgirl Alia and a conscript Pavel, which unfolds against the backdrop of one of the largest man-made disasters of the XX century. Like moths that tend to the fire, they flew towards their feelings, not noticing anything around.
The decision to make a film about the tragedy, which still lives in the hearts of many people, is a difficult task. It was entrusted to director Vitaly Vorobyov, whose film "The Bomber" (2011) has become one of the most renowned TV projects in the CIS countries. Vitaly Vorobyov says that the basis for the film was the script by Valeri Muharyamov. It was he who inspired the creators to produce such a complex and commercially problematic film. After all, the film shows the terrible moments of the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, deaths, with documentary precision illustrates the state of the fourth power unit, and the technique that was used by rescue workers and firefighters.
- The film "Inseparable" tells about the terrible man-made disaster. However, the main theme is love that is stronger than death, - said Vitaly Vorobyov. - For me it was important to show a dramatic chapter in our history. There are dry figures in textbooks, but there is an artistic image, which will be remembered. So we created it - the time image of the tragedy.
According to FILM.UA general producer Victor Mirsky, "Inseparable" is kind of atypical product for FILM.UA and for the television market in the former Soviet Union. Because it is a drama that today's television doesn’t honor much.
- We started shooting, without any orders from any channel - read the script (it was written by a very famous Russian sctiptwriter Valery Muharyamov) and wanted to make it". We wanted to show a story that could have happened, or might have occurred at the end of April 1986 in Pripyat, and was connected with the accident. All who worked on the film, remember 1986 and remembere those days. For example, I would like to dedicate this film to my Moscow relatives who accepted us, six children from Kiev, - says Victor Mirsky.
The makers of the film had the hard task of recreating on the screen the details of the Chernobyl disaster. In the process of filming the authors were able to combine shooting on location with lots of special effects, created with the latest technology.
Pripyat residents were evacuated on yellow buses "Icarus", so the crew was looking for them all over Ukraine. Found, repaired and shot. Clothes for the characters were bought at the second-hand. It was hard to find and reconstruct liquidators’ protective clothing of that time.
Evacuation of Pripyat was shot in Slavutych. During the shooting the light was turned off for the whole day to make it look real, but the residents did not protest.
- Everything that considers helicopters, except cabin interiors, was made on computer - and the helicopters themselves, and all that is beneath them: the whole territory of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, because these objects could not be shot. The station was drawn from the photographs (of that time), archival material, aerial photography, documentary films - anything that could be found. We had a task - to most authentically recreate the area with a radius of 25 km from the center. And, in fact, it is recreated from scratch - with all the buildings, technology buildings, trees and so on.
- We want to believe - added Mirsky - that such graphics did not exist on the television of the former Soviet Union.
Immediately after the screening, the authors showed the making of computer graphics. The experience is really awesome, because viewers see on the screen a real helicopter that flies over the burning reactor. Also, using archival photos and video, a team of artists recreated the fatal explosion, rescue and liquidation work, which took place at the station. The viewer does not even suspect that this is only a computer graphics. The scene of the crash of a military helicopter, which carried out the measurements of the area of the explosion, really impresses.
- The film is very expensive - $ 1.5 million. Computer graphics (20 percent of the budget). Besides, we understood what we were doing so we’ve been shooting for quiet a long time. We have already proposed this movie in Cannes - explained Mirsky - And we have a provisional agreement on sales in the western market. This was one of our goals, because the theme of Chernobyl is understood abroad, and FILM.UA brand is well-known. Now we are making a full-length version of "Inseparable" - unfortunately, it requires a certain timing, and many lines will disappear. I, for example, love the character of the older sister’s fiancé - who knows what would each of us have done in his place (a young doctor from Pripyat, after learning about the accident, declined to rescue the people and escaped to Kiev - MN). A complex topic. But we have to do so, because in the West 4-episode series won’t be watched.
- Antidepressants are purchased, we’re aware of everything, - continues Victor Mirsky. It is clear that they will study, will speak. We have tried to measure the forces and capabilities to make a quality product and are ready for any critics. I have one goal: let it be a abused by thousands, but if it is praised by hundreds of thousands, I'll be fully satisfied. Believe me, my production director Vitaly Vorobyov in 2011 shot a very complex wart project "The Bomber". Oh, what have we listened to! But that does not stop us from receiving awards or rankhigh ratings. When people write that they cried while watching - it's worth it. If they want to abuse that’s not a problem.
Natalia Dolina
