Platon Besedin criticized the idea to make Gaius Germanicus the director of the series about Princess Olga

“Examines the dirt from under the nails and judges reality by it”

The well-known Sevastopol writer Platon Besedin reacted negatively to the news that Valeria Gai Germanika will work on the creation of a series about Princess Olga as a director. “I don’t want to speak from well-known positions: I haven’t watched the future film, but I condemn it. However, it pulls in the direction, if not condemnation, then at least alertness or anxiety, ”Besedin told an MK correspondent.

– It would seem, two women: Princess Olga and Valeria. At the risk of being banal, there must be some intersections and parallels between the director and the heroine. Who is Princess Olga? A very complex personality, the first of the rulers of Rus’ who converted to Christianity. Something prompted her to do this, and we, plus or minus, understand that. Who is Gaius Germanicus? Quite a talented director, but in my opinion, she is a master at getting dirt out from under her nails. I will allow myself such an “artistic image”, but she explores this dirt and judges reality, the character’s hand, and so on.

– And what does it threaten all of us – that is, the audience?

– If there is only this in the eight-episode epic about the princess, it will turn out to be a spit in the direction of a specific person, the history of Russia and Christianity. The film “Viking” was made on a grand scale, but let’s remember what Prince Vladimir was like there. This movie didn’t work for anyone! If Valeria follows this path, we will see another mockery of our past. I am amazed at the carelessness of choice in Russian cinema. Really no one else about such an iconic figure could make a film? If they had said that Sergey Ursulyak or Pavel Lungin would do it, there would be no dissonance.

Maybe this is some kind of publicity stunt?

– I do not rule out that the bet is made on the scandal, outrageous and shocking.

Recall that the production of a film about the holy princess is at the stage of preparation and casting, shooting will begin only in the middle of summer, that is, there is practically no specifics, but it is already known who will sit in the director’s chair.

“This project, it takes me as an artist to a new level”, “according to my feelings, this project can only be shot by me. Now I allow myself to choose, I rarely shoot. And I like it, because the creative power is accumulating,” Gaius Germanicus herself says about her mission. It is known that Valeria will work with the Mutual Consent team – operator Gennady Uspangaliev, production designer – Anton

Polikarpov, this will be “a very young group for a fresh look” at historical cinema with the prevalence of a manual camera and long shots.