Interview with Aleksey German Jr.: My Films will return to the West When the Russian Flag Is Flown at the Olympics Again

Russian director Aleksey German Jr. was a frequent guest at European and American film festivals. His works had been nominated multiple times at the Berlin, Venice, and Cannes Film Festivals – the three major European film festivals. In 2008, he even won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival with his film "Paper Soldier."

However, after his film "House Arrest" was nominated for the Un Certain Regard selection at the Cannes Film Festival in 2021, he temporarily stepped away from the spectrum of European and American film festivals. The reason is easy to surmise: on February 24, 2022, after Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" in Ukraine, the entire Western world imposed a full-scale boycott on Russia.

In 2023, he once again directed a new film titled "Air," and chose to have its international premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival in late October. In early January 2024 after New Year’s Day, the film made its appearance at the Asia-Europe Festival of Young Cinema in Macau. Despite Western sanctions against Russia due to the Ukraine war, "Air" is a war movie that differs from the director’s usual style of experiential and explorational art films, focusing on the untold story of female fighter pilots during the Siege of Leningrad and the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II.

As a second-generation film director who followed in the footsteps of his father – Aleksei German, whose work "My Friend Ivan Lapshin" was praised by Andrei Tarkovsky as the "best Soviet film ever made" – chose to create a genre film that celebrates heroism. Through this, he seeks to learn from and pay tribute to the numerous war films dedicated to the previous generation which had made contributions during the Soviet era. Certainly, this grand ode to heroes portrayed through powerful visuals contains his contemplation on whether one should prioritize himself over his country or vice versa, or at the very least, it is a question posed to the audience.

Filming and producing war movies in present-day Russia pose significant technical challenges due to sanctions and restrictions by Europe and America. "However, looking at history beyond one’s identity as an artist, we've often been at war with Europe. It has happened too many times and our country's border has expanded and shrunk. We've become indifferent; it's all temporary," German Jr. confessed in an interview with me after the premiere of "Air" in Macau.

As for this "temporary" situation, how long will it go on before his films can return to Western film festivals? According to German Jr., "The day you see the Russian flag again at the Olympics, I might be able to return to the 'Big Three' festivals in Europe."

Food For Thought for Russians After Watching "Air": Which Comes First, Individual or Nation?

Question: Did the group of highly skilled female pilots who shot down many German planes in the movie really exist?

Aleksey German Jr.: Well, I've thoroughly researched these three women mentioned in the movie. However, they were specialized bomber pilots. During that time, Russians were unable to defend against the overwhelming German forces in the early stages of the war, resulting in massive casualties on the front lines. With the severe shortage of manpower, women were enlisted to fill the ranks. However, unlike in the movie where one of them reappears towards the end after being missing for a long while, there was no survivor in actual history. Historical records also do not mention them. In fact, pilots from France and Britain defended the Soviet airspace against invasion by the Germans, but they were all males.

Question: Regarding female soldiers in World War II, perhaps the most familiar Soviet film from the past is 1972's "The Dawns Here Are Quiet." I also recall a 2006 Russian film titled "Peregon" that talks about American female pilots visiting the Russian Far East that was away from World War II battlefields for an exchange. Did "Air" draw inspiration from these works?

Aleksey German Jr.: I haven't seen the film you mentioned, "Peregon," so "Air" was definitely not influenced by it. While "The Dawns Here Are Quiet " is indeed very famous, there were too many such war films during the former Soviet era, many of which you might have never heard of. Personally, I am certainly influenced by it, since my father has directed war films.

Question: Is the 150 minutes we see the final edited length of "Air"?

Aleksey German Jr.: I cut 30 minutes for the theatrical release.

Question: The main character Zhenya is not afraid to sacrifice herself, but for a long time after arriving at the front lines, she cannot bring herself to fire at enemy planes. After overcoming this psychological hurdle, she finally takes to the sky to join the combat. Throughout, a lengthy aria titled "Lascia ch'io pianga" by an English composer George Frideric Handel is played. Combining the line by a male commander in the film that goes "the Soviet people have endured too much for the whole world," together in association with Handel's most renowned oratorio "Messiah," I am speculating whether the director is likely insinuating that a Messiah-like spirit which liberates humanity is inherent among the Russians.

Aleksey German Jr.: Ah! What! Were the subtitles translated like that?!! The commander didn't say that line; he’s just expressing his desire to help and save the trapped elderly and children, while referring to the life support supplies distributed during the Siege of Leningrad. He definitely didn’t say any line or one that is as grand or lofty as what you mentioned. The use of Handel's music also doesn't carry such a profound meaning.

Question: In "Air," the female protagonist repeatedly asks herself, "Which is more important, the individual or the country?" So, in the current context, do you have any additional thoughts on that?

Aleksey German Jr.: Our history is a history of wars, constant battles and annexations. Many of us have become extremely numb to fighting in wars again for our homeland. Human relationships are inherently delicate and challenging. If we couple them with the complexity of the global situation and ethnic hatred, I also find it hard to answer the question posed by the female protagonist in the film about whether the individual or country is more important. In making this film, I'm merely presenting this question; perhaps everyone has their own answer.

As for the current Russian society, I feel people have divided views on this question. Of course, if we look at the entire history of Russia, it is also very challenging to come to a conclusion. Not every war is right, and not every war leads to positive outcomes. I hope that the question raised by the female pilot can prompt more Russians to reflect on it. Naturally, I hope that through my work, I can strengthen social cohesion among Russians and promote national unity to overcome the current difficult times.

Resources of Previous Works Highly Concentrated in Moscow

Question: I have seen your first two works, " Under Electric Clouds" and "Dovlatov." Both "Dovlatov" and your recent film "Air" have their main stories set in Leningrad. What about "Under Electronic Clouds"? Although it has a bit of sci-fi elements, was it also filmed on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, or somewhere else?

Aleksey German Jr.: "Under Electronic Clouds" wasn't filmed in just one location. Some scenes were composite shots done in post-production.

Question: You are from St. Petersburg and your film education are deeply influenced by the Leningrad school. Do you plan to tell more stories about this great city that is rich in history and art treasures through more films?

Aleksey German Jr.: Actually, Moscow is still a better working environment. St. Petersburg is more like a tourist city. However, the resources, technology, and manpower required for the film industry are highly concentrated in Moscow.

Question: I’m curious about a particular audio characteristic of Russian films. When there is dialogue in a non-Russian language, there is usually a narrative Russian voiceover. However, in the recently released "Air," the dialogues of the German pilots do not have a Russian voiceover.

Aleksey German Jr.: Could this be the imported version? In the original version shown in Russia, there is no need for voiceovers when dealing with other languages. In this movie, I would only be willing to preserve the German language spoken by the pilots. If the original sound is not played, the film will completely fail to reflect the situation and environment that the German forces were in at that time; it is essential to keep it authentic and portray the actual scenario as realistically as possible.

Question: So, whether it's Russian films on streaming platforms or at film festivals, are Russian voiceovers done by filmmakers like you? There is a scene where the writer Joseph Brodsky reads the Russian version of poems for a Polish film, in your “Dovlatov”. I wonder if voiceovers are a unique tradition in Russian cinema.

Aleksey German Jr.: This is not something we filmmakers would choose to do. This scene in "Dovlatov" was a narrative necessity. Brodsky's part-time job at that time was to translate Polish poems into Russian, and it was a plot requirement.

Soviet War Films: Advancement in Technology, Declination in Reflective Thinking

Question: We know that the former Soviet Union was very adept at making war-themed films. Many such films produced in the Russian era such as "Prisoner of The Mountains," "The Cuckoo," "The 9th Company," and so on, feel very different from those of the Soviet era. Do directors see absolute differences between them?

Aleksey German Jr.: It's quite similar worldwide; the same war, the same battle, every country keeps remaking them. England's "1917," Germany's "All Quiet on the Western Front," China's "The Battle at Lake Changjin," and even the American version "Napoleon" —these new war films will certainly differ from past ones. However, I didn't particularly aim to reference classic war films of the former Soviet Union. I'm just doing the same thing as other directors worldwide. Too many Russians have sacrificed during World War II, so it’s perfectly normal to be continuously making war films to tell constantly emerging stories or pay tribute to our ancestors.

Question: This is just a personal feeling, but in the past decade or so, it seems difficult to find war films similar to those between 1991 and 2010. It appears that there's less expression of reflection. Do you think there have been new changes in the past decade?

Aleksey German Jr.: This may be related to the overall development of computer technology, post-production synthesis and the current advancement of AI. The greatest difference from previous war films is that it is now easier to reconstruct a more realistic battlefield, but the technical operations also require more consideration due to cost-saving reasons. Technological advancements undoubtedly contribute in this regard.

It is exactly the excessive focus on technology that contributes to the existence of the problem of decreased reflection of films you mentioned. The portrayal of historical figures' details may not be as intricate as before. We did try to replicate the filming techniques of past eras, such as having actual people pilot planes and using cameras for on-site shooting. However, those are way too challenging, because we have to consider factors like the flying environment, wind speed and airspace restrictions. Having experienced the difficulties of past shooting techniques after one flight attempt, we ultimately chose to use computer technology instead.

Western Sanctions: European History Is A History of Wars

Question: You used to be a regular guest in the 'Big Three'(Cannes, Venice, Berlin) European film festivals. Due to reasons that are widely known, you had to temporarily withdraw from these festivals. Will this have an impact on your films?

Aleksey German Jr.: You can see it with the Olympics; we Russians are not allowed to participate. Russians weren’t even invited to last year's Wimbledon Tennis Championships. As a film industry worker, I face similar restrictions. However, this doesn't affect my relationship with my works. The day you see the Russian flag being raised again at the Olympics, maybe I can return to European film festivals.

Question: What about the creative aspect? Is it more challenging now due to sanctions from the West compared to before?

Aleksei German Ml.: It's become more difficult. Due to Western sanctions against Russia, many softwares are no longer accessible, or it's impossible to complete software updates, making it challenging to create certain visual effects. Additionally, there are two major challenges: purchasing and transporting props has become more difficult, and it's no longer possible to hire Western experts, which was an easy thing in the past.

Question: As a director, I believe the most important thing is for the audience to see your work. After temporarily losing access to Europe and America, what about other regions? Currently, you've been to Tokyo and lately, Macau. Are there other places you will be visiting?

Aleksei German Ml.: Indeed, my film depicts European warfare, and it cannot be screened freely in Europe as people may not be particularly comfortable with it. Even though the rights and wrongs of World War II are clear to most people, there is still lingering sensitivity to it. Personally, I've become quite Zen about it. I'm very happy to be able to showcase my film in Macau and any place that welcomes it, rather than being fixated on Berlin and the Oscars.

Question: Regarding this situation, especially the traditional Western attitude towards current artistic works from Russia, could you share more about your perspective? Especially considering that "Air" is a war-themed film, as you mentioned earlier.

Aleksei German Ml.: You might think we are at war now again, but if you step back, think yourself not as an artist and look at history, you will see that we have often been in wars with Europe. Whether with France, Poland, Finland, and Germany — we have been in with numerous wars. After every war, our borders either expand or shrink, and we become indifferent to it. These wars are temporary. In movies, we fought brutally with the Germans, then things got better for a long time, and now the natural gas pipeline is blocked again. On a broader level, this is the malady of the European continent; human history on this continent has always been accompanied by conflicts and wars. However, cultural exchanges on the Eurasian continent have never stopped.