The Russian Film Festival in Kyrgyzstan began with an event that took place in Belarus, where in the summer of 1944, Soviet counterintelligence, led by Sergey Bezrukov, was to uncover a cell of collaborators.
The film "August," created by Nikita Vysotsky, is not just a war drama, but a profound exploration of human destinies. As the director himself noted in an interview, "This film is about people and their eternal quest for truth. When a person finds the truth, they become stronger and more authentic. The film connects the past with the present, as we must still be able to distinguish truth from lies."
In "August," war serves not just as a backdrop, but as an unavoidable reality that forces characters to make choices between black and white, between "ein-zwei-polizai" and a grenade in the surroundings. This is a story not about wars and oaths, but about people who, even when facing death, chose to defend their homeland.
The heroes do not appear stereotypical; on the contrary, their characters are filled with strength and truth, which is often lacking in modern cinema. On screen, alongside well-known actors, you can see young faces such as Tabakov Jr., Roman Vasilyev, Nikita Kologrivyy, and Kirill Kuznetsov.
What do we know about those who gave us peace? This film raises important questions about the transmission of memory regarding events that occurred 80 years ago. How can we preserve living memory, rather than just recording it on the pages of encyclopedias? The first generation was raised on the stories of the elders, then came books and films like "Mother's Field," "Only Old Men Go to Battle," "The Dawns Here Are Quiet," "Officers"... But what will remain for the youth today? TikTok?
We live in a complicated time when the very forces that threaten the world have reactivated, and to remain strong, we need a solid foundation — memory, cultural code, and history that unite us.
On the 80th anniversary of Victory, this film is released, and it is symbolic. It opens the film festival in Bishkek, reminding us of how Kyrgyz and Russians fought together against invaders on various fronts. This victory was shared, and our memory of it is also united.
At the premiere, the audience felt this unity. The applause did not subside for a long time after the final credits. The younger generation will not accept lectures and outdated books; they need to be spoken to in their language, and cinema can become that connecting thread. It reminds us of what war is and why a world without Nazism is worth fighting for. And "August" is precisely the film that can convey this message.
