A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE

Russia, 2013, 77 minutes, Colour.
Alexander Yatsenko.
Directed by Boris Khlebnikov.

For serfs working on the land in the time of the Tsars, life was very hard. Despite the happy faces in cinema propaganda of the 1920s and 1930s, life for Soviet Union citizens working on the land, was hard. Now, in the Putin era, the ironic implications of the title of this film, A Long and Happy Life, we have to ask whether life on the land is better or is it worse.

Sasha seems an enterprising young man, has a number of people working under him for the betterment of a country area. But, the government wants the land back and is paying off the owners, like Sasha. He resists but the powers that be make it clear that this is the future. His workers don’t agree and put up opposing views which makes Sasha backtrack. Officials don’t take this kindly. His girlfriend who works in the office wants to get out and movie into town. She is dismayed at the backtrack.

This is a short film, 74 minutes, so we spend some time in seeing Sasha’ new enterprise – which does not work either. In the end, the authorities come for him. He resists. They don’t – and officialdom will have to deal with some violence and mayhem.

Not a cheery film. Gloom for the workers is still a reality in Russia.

1. A Russian film? The 21st century? The post-Soviet era? Land, development, government intervention, money and exploitation?

2. The country locations, the recurring images of the river, the town and the offices, the farms, Sasha’e house, the musical score?

3. The title, its irony?

4. The situation, Sasha coming from the city, his hard work, the farms and the farms, development, his relationship with the workers? His girlfriend and their future? The possibilities?

5. The discussions with the officials, the government wanting to buy up the land, for development, pay-offs for the residents? Legal or not?

6. Sasha and his girlfriend, the discussions, her wanting to move to the town, the decisions, the issue of money? The workers and their refusal of the offer?

7. Sasha’s work, failure, discontent, the workers wanting to move away, accept the money, Sasha’s supporter, the arguments, the betrayal?

8. The police and the officials coming to Sasha, his defiance, the outbreak of violence, the brutality of the deaths?

9. Sasha returning home, going to sleep? His future?

10. Could the film be seen as an allegory of Vladimir Putin’s Russia?