15 years ago, Maryna, Pavel, and Denis left the Minsk State Theatre and joined the newly-founded Belarus Free Theatre. The rehearsals and the shows take place secretly and the director communicates through Skype from exile. The resources are scarce, but the subjects are explosive; civil disobedience becomes a moral duty. Just like real life is trapped between the daily routine and underground activities, the play they’re working on depicts a life full of deprivation and politicians from the opposition who “disappeared.” It is basically a play about the deprivation of truth. Any person who dares to criticize the regime risks, among other things, their own death. This is why Denis consciously chooses to betray art by renouncing acting in order to protect his family. Except that things have gotten so bad that even those who are mere observers risk everything. Because to observe means to know. The documentary is built around the violent protests in Belarus during the summer of 2020, when dictator Alexander Lukashenko was “re-elected” and the leader of the opposition, most probably the de factor winner of the elections, was forced to leave the country. Maryna, Pavel, and Denis also take to the streets and participate in the protest the best way they know – through theatre, while hundreds of people are being abusively arrested. (Sorana Stănescu)
AUDIO: Russian, Belarusian
SUBTITLE: Romanian, English
awards and festivals
Berlin International Film Festival 2021
Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival 2021
Visions du Réel 2021
Millennium Docs Against Gravity 2021 - Amnestry International Poland Award - Special Mention, TVP Dokument Award
Biografilm Festival 2021 - Hera Award
Sheffield International Documentary Festival 2021
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival 2021
Krakow Film Festival 2021
Dokufest International Documentary and Short Film Festival 2021