Ukraine on Fire Cinema Novel by Oleksandr Dovzhenko: Saving Gesture of the Artist

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

The years of German-Soviet war (1941–1945) have become a period of special trials for the outstanding film director Oleksandr Dovzhenko. All hopes for the revival of the Ukrainian nation and its culture have turned out to be an illusion. The victory of the Soviet Union in the war has led to the collapse of the remnants of political and cultural autonomy in Ukraine, complete control of the imperial center over the processes of social and cultural life. Dovzhenko writes the film story Ukraine on Fire, which demonstrates the considerable resources of resistance of Ukrainians to totalitarian systems – both Soviet and German. In addition, Dovzhenko as an author reveals the intention of a national prophet who believes in his magical ability to save his people. The author has special sympathy for Ukrainian girls and women. They are killed, raped, humiliated. However, they remain special bearers of the nation mentality, its cultural and artistic memory. Its beauty! Therefore, the images of women are permeated with folklore and literary motifs, those voice out and materialize the world of Ukrainians who oppose the war. The story has drawn a lot of criticism from the dictator Stalin, criticism made public during a special meeting in the Kremlin. The accusations have been reduced to alleged manifestations of nationalism, revision of the very foundations of the Bolshevik empire. The work has been banned from publication and production in the cinema. Today, in the context of the new stage of war of the Russian Empire against Ukraine, the work in which the artist at the time of the disaster, is on the edge of the abyss and the non-existence of the people, comes to its defense, acquires special relevance and worldview expressiveness. Ukraine on Fire is distinguished by the special lyrical nature of the text, it is permeated with folk singing, folklore images and even rhythm. An amazing consonance with the folk melos, a powerful lyric-epic coverage of folk life. The completion of work on the film story has coincided with the beginning of the stay of Dovzhenko’s mother, Odarka Yermolaivna, in Moscow, in Dovzhenko’s apartment (after the end of the German occupation of Kyiv). The artist has recorded a number of folk songs from her, those have a significant impact on the work on the following scenarios – Chronicle of Flaming Years, Enchanted Desna, Poem of the Sea.