“Patriotism – is primarily a love story” – BBC

Before the premiere of the series “Homeland” on the TV channel “Russia-1″ its director Pavel Lungin told “Gazeta.ru” the need for heroes deviant, exciting madness and complexity of patriotic feelings.

On March 16 at the channel “Russia-1″ will premiere the first season of “Homeland”, based, as well as the eponymous American television movie, the Israeli format “prisoner of war”. The action takes place in the Russian version of the 1999, and became heroes returned from Chechen captivity Marine Corps Colonel Aleksey Bragin (Vladimir Mashkov) and suspected him of FSB spy analyst Anna Zimin (Victoria Isakov). Before the premiere of “Times” interviewed the director of the film by Pavel Lungin.

– We’ll talk during a break between filming a new movie, what kind of project?

– This is a full-length film “Queen of Spades” – a drama that tells about the production of Tchaikovsky’s opera “Queen of Spades”, the story is in common with the fate of the performers. Picture of young people, that is to be modern Herman, the consequences of desire to get rich and become famous.

– Now let’s talk about “Homeland.” What impressions do you have from the picture now, when work on it over?

– It is difficult to say. When people look first series, when the overall reaction, then we can say for sure. I love this job. I think she was very originality.

«Rodina” filmed not in serial style, there is another film language, other plastics.

It was very interesting. Already the difficulties encountered on the set, are forgotten, leaving only light moments, so the person is arranged. This is similar to the way people think of the war as a happy time. It is unlikely that they were happy in the process, but over time there is a feeling of brotherhood and common voltage.

– Ten years ago, you have worked on television – on the TV series “The Case of the Dead Souls.” What is the difference in working conditions then and now?

– «The Case of the Dead Souls,” by the way, I think, in general the best thing I did. But compare this picture with the “motherland” I would not. The new picture – absolutely realistic, big-budget work, and “It’s …” filmed entirely in the interior. I had another problem – do not reflect the time and move to the screen Gogol’s artistic world. There, of course, also it was about corruption, but corruption of the time. (Laughs. )

– the Israeli “Prisoner of War” and the American “homeland”, which comes in the wake of your picture is unfolding in real time. Why is the story of the Russian “motherland” moved in 1999 th?

– This is the first Chechen war, the first terrorist attacks in Moscow and Volgodonsk, on the other hand, the president resigns, begins a new election race . All this gives the tension troubled times, which is inherent in the series. Incidentally, I can not say that the reconstruction of the time was for me initially. Yes, in the frame a lot of old “Lada”, reflects the fashion of the time, but the main thing in this story – psychology, eternal problems, confrontation, insanity. This is a profound psychological study of different characters, made possible by the brilliant acting. Mashkov, Isakov, stunning Makovetskii, who played a completely new way, Mironov Merzlikin – a bouquet of wonderful actors work. The series itself is close to the genre of the novel – in the sense that it makes it possible to trace the subtle, unexpected movements shower characters.

– Have you had any more candidates for the leading roles except Mashkov and Isakova?

– No, I have not seen in those roles no one else . Mashkov I know well: we worked on the “oligarchs”. He has grown over this time has gained immense precision and depth. His scenes we shot with a maximum of two doubles, as though he were reincarnated as his hero. Isakov, I think, surprised everyone in this role. With it, we are also working on the “island”, there it is, if you remember, played the demoniac. Even then it was clear that she was a great actress, but she became a full-time creative power.

– Do you think the hero, played by Mashkov – a modern hero? Now obviously there is a request to the appearance of the character, which reflects the time in the case of the film “Duhless 2,” for example, he brought an excellent cash.

– Hero “Duhless” nenormativen, far from the positive image kondovogo hero. These are the heroes of our “homeland”. Bragin and Zimin. Their non-normative absolutely adequate the more complicated reality that requires it, such complex characters. Moreover, the names of some of their marginality is particularly interesting. This unusual people, they are always on the brink – a split personality for example.

In general, the “norm” – it’s so complicated concept, one of us knows how much he is normal? (Laughs. ) and then see “Boss”, “Breaking Bad,” “House of Cards” – they are all about people with bruises, disease, with some flaw. This is not absolutely goodies, rather seeking to being good. In this and the key to their popularity, because the audience too many people who can not call myself a good person. And if these characters have become very popular all over the world, then it’s time to join our television characters such complexity. “Homeland” – it’s a story about the complexity of life, the complexity of feelings, such feelings as patriotism, in particular.

– What is patriotism do for you today?

– Patriotism – is primarily a love story. How complicated love between a man and a woman, she is as complex and between man and his homeland. Sometimes she turns away, sometimes you turn away, and then fall in love again. In this sense, we can say that in my life I have never seen a man unpatriotic.

Just some people in this love become extremely demanding and too many people want from their country.

You can not say that Saltykov Shchedrin or Lermontov loved home is less than the people who beat his fist in the chest, in the autumn of Orthodox crosses. In fact, one of the main problems of modern Russian life that during the Soviet era people are too accustomed to the easy solution. They were brought up with the understanding that the world is simple, although it is complex – in every way complicated. And it’s art, and television in the first place, to talk about the problems of the complexity of the surrounding reality. The only meaning of art – in mitigating conflicts, to overcome confusion, which in humans causes a collision with the world, to teach people how to understand ourselves … bent, right? (General laughter. )