video in b-w and colour, 7’38’’, 4:3 PAL, stereo
with Raffael Leonardovitsch Vinogradov
sound by Francesco Viani
© 2008/2011 Volgograd/Russia
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The title of this experimental documentary refers to the order no. 227 “Behind the Volga there is no land!” commanded by Stalin to the citizen of Stalingrad who defended their city until they won the victory in 1942. The land behind the river Volga has never been touched of the German groups, but more than the glory, as the “city of heroes”, was not left. My negation of this order intends to appeal the memory because also over there do exist problems, which nobody wants to see and someone does not want to show.
A couple of years ago some functionaries rang the bell of my grandfather’s apartment. At this moment there was only my grandfather at home who was taken away by them. For many days my grandmother was looking for him but without success, nobody informed her or let her know something. Only the neighbours told her what they have seen.
My grandfather has been accused of having set fire to a car. However, the truth was that the two young accusers were so drunk that they have burned their own car. While my grandmother was observing them from the window, my grandfather asked her to stop it. Unfortunately, the two men were relatives of the police. From that moment on there arrived letters threatening my grandfather to pay the damage but everything looked to be so ridiculous in his eyes that he did never react or tell anybody about this happening. When they came to put him in jail, suddenly everything seemed to be too late for doing something.
The video shows in a very subtle way about the corruption that we hear or talk about easily and that is happening under our eyes or in front of our door. It describes the inner soul of an old and simple man who is trying to save himself with letters for getting out this terrible circle of time where old familiar events are taking over again.
