ANTON

Ukraine, 2019, 102 minutes, Colour.
Nikita Shlanchak,Mykyta Dziad, Sebastyan Anton, Tetiana Grechik.
Directed by Zaza Urushadze.

It is the end of World War I, and the setting is Russia/Ukraine, to become the Soviet Union. Horseback Bolshevik forces ride through the countryside, demanding loyalties, killing and destroying. Trotsky himself is seen as part of these forces, along with a viciously aggressive, Commissar, Dora, in love with Trotsky.

In this area of Ukraine, there are Jews in the community. There are also migrant Germans from the 19th century who settled there. Anton is a youngster, one of the Germans. His best friend is Yasha, some of the Jewish shopkeeper.

On the one hand, there are many delightful sequences showing the two boys, their friendship, shared experiences, discussions about respect of religious aspects of their lives, especially whether everyone would be in the same heaven. There are other children in the village and Anton has to care for his sister, Emma.

But, in the background, then in the foreground, there is the sense of dread. Despite the beauty of the landscapes in the countryside, there is a deadly atmosphere. The Germans are trying to protect others from the Bolshevik rampagers taking the grain. The Jewish storekeeper serves as something of an informant to, Dora. There is tragedy for Anton’s father. There are threats to Yasha’s father. And, a strong influence in the village is the local priest, Friedrich, who has a past in social uprisings but keeps a watchful eye on the village, protective of his sister, Anton’s mother. He becomes a significant part of the political manoeuvring is as well as the social uprisings.

There is drama in the film showing Trotsky and his relationship with Dora, his ambitions, his riding on the village and Dora’s intentions to “snuff out� the Jewish store keeper. The two boys overhear her, don’t quite know what it meant, and then are caught up in an assassination attempt and abduction of Trotsky.

The German family leave for the Fatherland. Friedrich has a final confrontation with Trotsky – and the rest is left to our imagination or to our knowledge of Soviet Union history.

Humanely, the framework of the film is the elderly Yasha discovering where Anton is, now in hospital, and coming to visit him, moments of happy reunion.

1. The title, Anton, the young boy, in the Ukraine, in Bolshevik Russia? And the impact of the finale?

2. Ukraine, the settings, the village, shops, the church, homes, farms? The surrounding countryside, the plains? The musical score?

3. The historical setting, social setting, the Bolshevik Revolution, the emerging of the Soviet Union, the Bolshevik writers, the raids on villages, the executions, the taking of grain?

4. The presence of Trotsky, his role in the revolution, personality, ambitions? With the riders? His relationship with Dora, the attempt on his life? His being free – until his assassination?

5. Jews and Catholics? The storekeeper, his family? But his informing to the Commissar? Yasher, his friendship with Anton, the bond between the religions? The Catholic family, coming from Germany, persecution from the Bolsheviks, the plan to return to the Fatherland? The church, Father Friedrich, his presence, ideological stances?

6. Th e story friendship between the two boys, their age, personalities, playing together, Anton looking after his younger sister, the usher and his eye for the little girl? The background of the events? The tunnel in the hay? Overhearing Dora is planned to kill the informant? The reaction, in the ruins, hearing Trotsky’s cry, believing his story, setting him free?

7. Anton’s family, his father, Germanic background, language at home, relationship with his wife, love for his children, the issue of the grain, confronting Dora, her shooting him? The consequences for wife and family, that they return to Germany?

8. Friedrich, the present, his cassock, his being part of the family? The ceremonies, the church? The revelation about his past, political stances and action? With Trotsky? Organising with the storekeeper, the attack on the entourage, the shootings, killing Dora? Abducting Trotsky, hiding him on the ruins?

9. Friedrich, unable to kill Trotsky? Trotsky’s escape, confronting him in the church, their past, killing him?

10. The storekeeper, trying to escape, his being shot? The family, in the wagon, their fleeing? The end of the narrative of the past?

11. The framework, the older Yasha, the clouds, in the plane? Going to the home, meeting Emma, Anton and his coma, consciousness, the reconciliation?