EUPHORIA

Russia, 2006, 73 minutes, Colour.
Polina Agureyeva, Maxim Ushakov, Mikhail Okunev.
Directed by Ivan Vyrypaev.

Euphoria is a frantic 73-minute film written and directed by Ivan Vyrypaev, a prolific writer of plays and other books. This is his first feature film.

The film appealed to young jury-members in Venice, 2006. However, its rhythms, visual style – in the frantic Russian manner – may not appeal to audiences beyond eastern Europe or beyond Europe. While the film is full of energy, it is bizarre in its creation of its characters, in their behaviour, in the way that the whole film is made.

The director gives a great attention to the strange landscapes of Russia, desert-like at times, a river, lush and mountainous at times. The characters glide through these landscapes. The plot involves jealousy, boredom in marriage, betrayal – and, ultimately, violence.

There is a directness in the approach of the director, in the graphic presentation of violence, in the in-your-face presentation of sexuality.

Of interest for developments in Russian cinema after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the stories that it tells, the manner in which the films are made. A permissiveness that would not be allowed in Soviet times. To this extent, Euphoria is probably significant in its insights into the changes in Russian film-making.

1. The Russian sensibility of the film? How particular? How exotic? For sensibilities of non-Russians?

2. The brevity of the film? The focus on landscapes? Characters in remote landscapes? Isolation, strange behaviour?

3. The title, euphoria as excitement, increased perception? As applied to the central characters and their relationship to each other?

4. The musical score, highly orchestrated, the accordion-playing? Appropriate – too strongly-scored for the story and the landscapes?

5. The landscapes, the helicopter shots, the emphasis on the different landscapes, the dry and desert-like countryside, the ravines, the river and the lake? The isolated and dilapidated homes? The characters in the landscapes?

6. The focus on Pasha, his made behaviour, Russian delirium? His friend trying to advise him? His going to Vera, accosting her, the declaration of love, seeing her at the wedding? Her response? The refrain of Vera standing against the wall, moving her hands? Pasha and the wall?

7. Pasha, his work, passion, coming to the house, stalking? On his boat? The car? Taking Vera to the hospital, the return home, the collapse of the car, in the boat, walking? The sexual encounter? His seeing her and her burying the dog which bit her daughter’s finger? The rowing on the boat after going to his house, changing clothes? Being shot, her surviving, floating down the river, the sinking of the boat?

8. Vera as a character, her isolated life, her drunken husband, her daughter, the puzzle about Pasha? Out in the countryside with her daughter, the accident, the killing of the dog, burying the dog, getting back late, getting to the hospital? The future for her daughter? The return with Pasha, the sexual encounter, her death?

9. Valery, his alcoholism, in the house, love for his daughter, attitude towards his wife, seeing Pasha outside? The child and the bitten finger, his caring for her? His drinking again? His going out into the landscapes, shooting the cow, shooting his wife and Pasha? Sitting under the tree?

10. The animals, Pasha going berserk with the goats, the herd of cattle, Valery killing the beast?

11. The opening and close, the blind man on the motorbike, his euphoria, exhilaration? Symbolic?

12. The overall impact of being in this strange landscape, meeting these characters? Sharing their experience – or an experience of alienation?