Viva Belarus!

2013 "Freedom means life without fear"
6.5| 1h38m| NA| en| More Info
Released: 08 February 2013 Released
Producted By: Canal+ Polska
Country: Poland
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

Belarus has been under dictatorship of Lukashenko for 15 years. Miron (23) is not interested in politics. However, the next concert of his 'apolitical' rock band triggers off an anti-regime manifestation. Miron, is enlisted for the army for 15 months by way of punishment for 'fomenting political unrest among young people'. And this is just a beginning.. A film inspired by the story of Frank Viachorka, activist of the Belorussian opposition. Starring top Belorussian cinema and rock stars.

Genre

Drama

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Director

Krzysztof Łukaszewicz

Production Companies

Canal+ Polska

Viva Belarus! Videos and Images

Viva Belarus! Audience Reviews

Diagonaldi Very well executed
Laikals The greatest movie ever made..!
Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful
Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.
Olga Halchenko This movie is the first independent film about present-day Belarus, an obscure and often misunderstood country in the middle of Europe. Belarus has been ruled for twenty years by "the last dictator of Europe", Alexander Lukashenko, who has driven his country into isolation and decay. However, a vibrant artistic and cultural life finds its way past censorship, totalitarian control and general apathy to produce little gems like "Viva Belarus". The storyline follows the coming of age of a young musician, Miron. Miron, through a series of life-changing events, gets involved in the opposition movement and takes stand against the oppressive regime. He starts as an ordinary rock-singer, playing with his band in different bars of the capital city Minsk. However, soon enough his attitude, music and texts attracts the attention of Belarusian KGB. Miron is promptly sent to serve in the army where he can taste all the "pleasures" of post-soviet discipline: humiliation, beatings, forced labour, absence of privacy, lack of human conditions. But it only pushes Miron further into resistance. With the help of his friends, he creates a blog to mock the army and Lukashenko's regime. His "insider" messages from the barracks enflames Belarusian society and soon a movement of opposition gains force. The movie touches different subjects that are still a sad reality in Belarus: secret police services, electoral fraud, Chernobyl explosion and its consequences, repressive army etc. At the same time it gives hope for the future. In the end of the movie, a freedom movement, born in the social networks, finds its way to the streets. The acting is sometimes a bit naïve and the storyline quite straightforward, but the film is powerful in its veracity. It has become today an inspiration for many young Belarusians. Great music is also an essential component of the movie. The story is based on true events. The movie is of course banned in its own country.