Not long ago we wrote about a documentary movie ‘Lessons of Belarusian Language”. Back then, it was unavailable to viewers; however, thanks to comments from our readers we are happy to write that this movie is available on line! below is a recap of a blog and the movie itself.

Radio Svaboda reports that First Polish TV channel in conjunction with Everest movie Production Company recently finished working on a documentary movie “Lessons of Belarusian Language. Youth against Lukashenka”. It was directed by Miroslav Dembinsky and it was already premiered in Riga and Vilnius. The movie tells about now closed Belarusian Humanitarian Lyceum and its students who actively participated in the “Denim Revolution” during the presidential elections that took place in Belarus last March.

Mr. Dembinsky says that while events that took place in March play a significant role in the movie another goal of filmmakers was to show Belarus in the dramatic moment from a perspective of youth. The director hopes that this movie will show how students were getting prepared for such decisive moment for their country, how they were attempting to spread the word and wake up Belarusian masses prior to the Presidential elections.

Mr. Dembinsky also said that at this moment the studio already made deals with TV companies of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Croatia to show the movie. It also plans to offer this movie to 74 largest TV channels in Europe and the United States of America. In the near future, Mr. Dembinsky is planning to make another movie about Belarusian Rock.

Here we go again! After dealing with Da Vinci Code by banning it from local movie theaters, Belarusian authorities found another victim-V for Vendetta. Perhaps, they took comics seriously or maybe it is paranoia responsible for it. In either case, V for Vendetta won’t be shown in Belarus, period. Apparently, an uncompromising vision of the future did not sit well with some people…

Not long ago, we posted an article about ‘V for Vendetta”. And while writing it there was a joke: “just imagine, what will authorities think watching somebody kicking butt (wearing black uniforms) and crushing totalitarian regime that in some ways resembles Belarus 2006?”

Today, we got a crystal clear answer…The Government IS afraid of its people.

Not long ago, belarus. blogsome.com published an article titled “Almost an Open Letter To Hollywood Producers”. In one instance, an author writes:

“But revolution or, say, democratization could be somewhat profitable, if some guy like Steven Spielberg decided to make a movie about it. Let us face the facts – we are interesting. We are an odd one out in Europe, and a lot of fascinating events happen in our country, just you need to pay a little bit more attention to them. This is a nation either beloved or forsaken by God. Maybe it is a test, or I don’t know what, but hey, we’ve been occupied by hegemons for centuries, millions of our nationals were killed in most major wars on the continent. We are torn between two civilizations, two geopolitical choices, and God knows where on earth we as a nation will end up in a century.
We are interesting. And by producing a film about us and our struggle, you would not only help us raise our social awareness, form our dusty national identity, resurrect our self-questioning, and maybe help our democratization, but you would also secure a investment that would pay back and even be quite profitable. Of course, you need to make it big, like you can, like you always do. Yeah, right, we need that big Hollywood star portray a Belarusian freedom fighter, and another big one playing a hateful dictator. This would be a smash hit. I can feel it. Can you?”

Yes, I can feel it. It could have been a great wake up call for some layers of Belarusian society. After posting two simple photo-clips about Belarus on this web site, the few friends of mine noted that these clips were highly motivational. And here, we are talking about home-made clips!
I agree with the author about a need for “big Hollywood star portray a Belarusian freedom fighter, and another big one playing a hateful dictator.” In matter of fact, we might not need a Hollywood star, but someone who can truly feel it…

And while we are waiting a response from Hollywood, I will mention a movie that sort of falls into a category of “Freedom fighter versus hateful dictator”. Enter V for Vendetta.

I often meet people from different countries. Some of them are students; some are strangers who walk the streets of New York. I guess New York is the best place to run into a foreigner, get to know each other and become friends. Our conversations would usually start with one question:
Where are you from?
Next come a pattern: I am from Ukraine. Wow, here is a Ukrainian!
I am from Lithuania. Great! Here is a Lithuanian guy.
Hey, where are you from? I am from Belarus. Oh, there is a Russian guy!
I am sorry? I am a Belarusian…

Come on Man! What Belarusian? You speak and think in Russian, your flag is a copy of the Soviet Union, we don’t here much about glorious Belarusian past or culture…Whenever Belarus comes up, we hear more things along the lines like Soviet Union, Russia and so on and forth.

This dialogue is a bit improvised, but its major point is here: Belarus is not considered by many as a separate and unique State. And people who hold such point of view are somewhat right. In the past years, Belarus became anything but a country with sharply defined cultural and historical borders.

We can put blame on many factors: small country with shattered cultural heritage thanks to its “buffer zone” status during numerous conflicts between West and East. Blurry national identity thanks to the communism and so on and forth. But major blame should be put on us, Belarusians because our destiny is in our hands, especially now, in the 21 century. And, here, I would like to say that not all of us forgot our roots or accepted excuses. Not all of us lost a touch with our history, and this small video clip is dedicated to them…To people who remember, cherish and want to revive our Belarusian heritage. It is a tribute to people who wants to be known as Belarussians not somebody else…It is our sincere Thank You…

It is very interesting to observe people opinion. It even more interesting to observe opinion of those countries that surrounds Belarus. So, what can you hear and see on national TV channels in neighbour-countries such as Russia or Poland. See for yourself. Most of them require no comments(well if you speak Russian).
Belarussian western neighbor and friend Poland presented material about recent events in that short video report. Basically they are telling in positive way, the truth regarding the whole situation. Poland deny to acknowledge recent elections as free and democratic.

‘Mighty’ Russia. Eastern neighbor of the Belarus. Considered to be closiest friend for ages… But what are 2 major national TV channels saying? Watch for yourself: and RTR.
Ah with what passion and how arrogant they trying to prove that thos ‘misarable protesting people’ are just…misarable. Let me remind you, that mister Putin, was one of the first who congratulated lukashenko with the ‘victory’. Maybe Putin is watching, trying to get more experience in that kind of fraud… He will need to pass through the same relatively soon as well.
Other more or less independant Russian TV channels such as RenTV supporting Belarusin rally for freedom with good and truthfull words. Thank you, brothers!

Belarussian southern neighbor – Ukraine. A year ago Ukraine showed her own example of unity of the people in struggle for freedom when hunderds of thousnads of them gathered on the central square in Kiev to support their new president when election took place. It was interesting to see and hear what they thinking. However I was not able to gather a lot of video material as most of Ukraine channels do not provide video files. Actually I just found one. With short and quite detached review of the current events.