The feature film directed by Kantemir Balagov “Dylda” was nominated by Russia for the Oscar in the nomination “Best Foreign Language Film”. On the decision of the Russian Oscar Committee on September 24, its chairman, Vladimir Menshov, spoke.

“Dylda” is based on the book of the Belarusian writer Svetlana Aleksievich “The war does not have a female face”. At the center of the story are two young women who have just returned from the front to Leningrad. The heroines are trying to build life in the post-war realities.

The main roles in the film were played by actresses Victoria Miroshnichenko and Vasilisa Perelygina. The screenwriter was Balagov himself.

Dylda received the prize of the International Federation of Film Presses (FIPRESCI), as well as the award for best directing in the category “Special Look” at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019. The film was also presented at the Kinotavr in the Special Event category.

Balagov studied directing with Alexander Sokurov. He has already participated in the Cannes Film Festival with his debut feature film "Tightness" (the picture also claimed a prize in the categories "Special Look" and "Golden Camera"). Then Balagov also received the FIPRESCI award.

"Filmed for cinema festivals

According to the majority of experts interviewed by RT, the choice of the Russian Oscar Committee in favor of Dylda is a fairly logical and even obvious decision. So, film critic Kirill Razlogov considers the advantages of Balagov’s tape over other domestic films to be internationally recognized and involved in the project by producer Alexander Rodnyansky, in whose arsenal there are already Oscar-nominated films.

“The producer (Alexander Rodnyansky. - RT ) has experience working with the Oscar committee, his paintings, as a producer, have already received nominations for an Oscar. Therefore, the tape has the greatest chances to get into the nomination - this is not a guarantee, but the chances are very high. Changing it to any other picture is a losing option, ”he said in an interview with RT.

The nomination of Dylda for an Oscar is due to the reputation that the film earned on the international market, director and screenwriter Natalya Merkulova also noted in a conversation with RT.

Dylda received two important prizes at Cannes and was presented at major international festivals. This film is known and recognized by the international community. That is, he has already earned a reputation for himself - an excellent reputation. Therefore, the choice is, frankly, transparent. ”

Merkulova has no doubt that the picture has a chance to at least enter the shortlist of the award due to the original plan and "deep direction".

  • Shot from the movie “Yield”
  • © kinopoisk.ru

“I’m sure that Dylda will be included in the Oscar shortlist, and it seems to me that there is every chance to even get an Oscar, because Dylda is an amazing movie with an original idea, with an interesting world that I built Director, ”she remarked. - It is no coincidence that he received a prize for directing in Cannes, because it is bright, expressive, powerful and deep. And all the more interesting is that all this was shot by a young man who is 28 years old. In my opinion, this is generally phenomenal. ”

The critic Ilona Egiazarova emphasizes that Balagov has an artistic taste and has a special creative method, making it interesting to watch his work.

“He is young, but takes on very complex topics. We know that in the movie “Yield” the theme of post-siege Leningrad is covered, a rather difficult post-military theme. He works beautifully with paints, with color, he has an amazing female cameraman Ksenia Sereda, ”says the film critic.

At the same time, Egiazarova notes that “Dylda” is a well-calculated and sharpened film for festivals: it has an ulterior motive “beacons” that are usually taken into account when distributing awards at festivals. For example - a hint of lesbian relations, a line of strong women and weak men (this topic, Yegiazarova explains, began with the popularization of the MeToo movement), a criticism of the Soviet regime.

“All this is very fond of the festival jury, the jury of high - such as the Oscars - committees. Therefore, Balagov may have some chances, but one should not forget that a very strong picture of Korean production - “Parasites” claims to win in the same nomination, “Best Film in a Foreign Language”. It will be interesting to watch this race, ”concludes Yegiazarova.

Among experts, there are those who believe that although the choice in favor of Dylda is obvious, the film has little chance of getting a statuette. Cinema expert Alexei Gusev believes that Dylda, albeit considered the “strongest Russian film of the year,” but does not fully comply with the list of criteria for the American Film Academy.

  • Shot from the movie “Yield”
  • © kinopoisk.ru

“To nominate a good and acclaimed film, as in this case, for example, in Cannes, the Oscar movie is right. But the fact is that the films have chances for an Oscar that meet a certain number of aesthetic criteria related to the traditions of American cinema, to which the movie Dylda is far, far from everything, ”he said.

The film critic clarified: the story told in Dyld can be quoted by the Academy, but this is not enough for an Oscar nomination.

“If we are talking about telling a private story against a broad historical background, what is in the movie“ Dylda ”and what makes up the main criterion of the American Oscar, then everything is in order. But everything else - be it a way of performance, be it drama, be it visual style - it seems to me that turns these chances into almost nothing, ”he concluded.

Did the picture get on the list of nominees for the Oscar, will be known in January.