Кадр з дакументальнай стужкі "Двіж". Фота: сайт фестываля медыя «Чалавек у небяспецы».
The documentary “Dvizh” (DWIŻ), directed by Aliaksandr Haradko, will premiere this week in the competition programme of the 36th Man in Danger Media Festival (Festiwal Mediów Człowiek w Zagrożeniu) in Łódź, Poland. Produced by Belsat TV, the film explores the subculture of fans of Belarusian musician Max Korzh — a phenomenon traditionally associated both with strong cross-national solidarity and with high-profile controversies in local media.
Seventy thousand Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian fans travel to Warsaw for a major show by the Belarusian rapper. They are united by “dvizh”, a subculture created and shaped by Korzh himself. His philosophy centres on distancing oneself from politics, rejecting national divisions and following the principle of “living here and now”. While a sense of community prevails within the crowd, local media largely portray the events as chaos, clashes and mass disorder.
The film by Aliaksandr Haradko, with Nikita Smirnowicz and Aliaksandr Haradko as cinematographers, gives participants in the movement a voice, presenting a portrait of an entire generation from Eastern European countries.
The film’s screening comes at a time when the latest stadium concert by Korzh in Frankfurt am Main has attracted widespread attention. Last weekend, the show at Deutsche Bank Park drew tens of thousands of fans and was accompanied by four days of street gatherings involving pyrotechnics and flares. Frankfurt police detained 63 people for various offences. However, the fans themselves and the artist urge people to see these trips primarily as an opportunity for mutual respect and human solidarity. During the Frankfurt show, Korzh also delivered an anti-war appeal, dedicating part of his performance to a deceased fan known by the nickname “Optimist”.
When and Where to Watch
The documentary will premiere this Thursday, October 15, at 8 p.m. A discussion with director Aliaksandr Haradko will follow the screening.
A repeat screening is scheduled for Friday, October 16, at 9 a.m.
More details are available here.