The long-awaited film by Vyacheslav (Slavik) Bihun "Mama's Heart. Gongadze," which I watched with delight on the big screen at its premiere in Kyiv, reveals not only the epic fail of justice in post- communist Ukraine, but also clearly shows how civil virtues in a democratic society are truly impotent without a moral basis. The documentary, based on long interviews with the mother (now deceased) of a murdered journalist, touches on a range of feelings of the viewer and gives a unique opportunity to feel the heart of a mother who lost her only son.
The death of Georgiy Gongadze, a well-known Ukrainian journalist who was kidnapped, killed and ritually distorted, shook not only the Ukrainian community and the whole world. Gongadze's case inspired the 2004 Orange Revolution, the 2013 Revolution of Dignity, and as this film about the suffering of Gongadze's mother shows that the case is not over.
The idea of the film, which was conceived during the times of the authoritarian regime of Yanukovych as an episode of the struggle of a specific person for the rights and freedoms under a violent state, develops into a multi-faceted work in which a personal turns into a universal, universally human. "Mama's Heart" reveals to us a family history, family relationships and atmosphere in which Lesia Gongadze raised a loving son, a good family man and a courageous citizen (Georgiy even fought against the pro-Russian separatists in Abkhazia).
Fears about the emotional overload of the film are dispelled from the first moments of the mother's confession: the viewer is revealed the depth of pain which is carefully sustained by mother's extraordinary spiritual self-control, the search for justice and the will to fight for her own rights. This power of Ms. Gongadze's spirit is delicately reflected by the camera work and in the construction of the narrative. The atmosphere of film, besides the photos from the family archive, is enhanced by the original score by Volodymyr Gronsky. The mastery of Slavik Bihun as a director, in my opinion, in this film is demonstrated in the way the story is told to us: it is as if the character would like to tell her story herself; as though she herself had invited the crew, offered a script and directed it. No moralization, no false pathos, no politicking. We sense the power of feelings, the power of reason, and the power of faith in the heart of the mother, before whom we want to take a low bow and show our respect.
It is well-known that a good film is worth multiple viewings, to better understand it and feel it deeper. This film will reveal to regular audience the true feelings of a mother, and to experts it is a recall about the tragic power of the ancient Greek archetypes (Lesia Gongadze, as an old Spartan, had to see the body of her dead son "on the shield" (though she didn't accept it as his)), and to politicians it is a reminder of the real goal of democracy, that is: justice should stand guard so that hearts of mothers could be filled with love for their living sons.
Vitaliy NECHYPORENKO Ph.D in Philosophy of Law
The death of Georgiy Gongadze, a well-known Ukrainian journalist who was kidnapped, killed and ritually distorted, shook not only the Ukrainian community and the whole world. Gongadze's case inspired the 2004 Orange Revolution, the 2013 Revolution of Dignity, and as this film about the suffering of Gongadze's mother shows that the case is not over.
The idea of the film, which was conceived during the times of the authoritarian regime of Yanukovych as an episode of the struggle of a specific person for the rights and freedoms under a violent state, develops into a multi-faceted work in which a personal turns into a universal, universally human. "Mama's Heart" reveals to us a family history, family relationships and atmosphere in which Lesia Gongadze raised a loving son, a good family man and a courageous citizen (Georgiy even fought against the pro-Russian separatists in Abkhazia).
Fears about the emotional overload of the film are dispelled from the first moments of the mother's confession: the viewer is revealed the depth of pain which is carefully sustained by mother's extraordinary spiritual self-control, the search for justice and the will to fight for her own rights. This power of Ms. Gongadze's spirit is delicately reflected by the camera work and in the construction of the narrative. The atmosphere of film, besides the photos from the family archive, is enhanced by the original score by Volodymyr Gronsky. The mastery of Slavik Bihun as a director, in my opinion, in this film is demonstrated in the way the story is told to us: it is as if the character would like to tell her story herself; as though she herself had invited the crew, offered a script and directed it. No moralization, no false pathos, no politicking. We sense the power of feelings, the power of reason, and the power of faith in the heart of the mother, before whom we want to take a low bow and show our respect.
It is well-known that a good film is worth multiple viewings, to better understand it and feel it deeper. This film will reveal to regular audience the true feelings of a mother, and to experts it is a recall about the tragic power of the ancient Greek archetypes (Lesia Gongadze, as an old Spartan, had to see the body of her dead son "on the shield" (though she didn't accept it as his)), and to politicians it is a reminder of the real goal of democracy, that is: justice should stand guard so that hearts of mothers could be filled with love for their living sons.
Vitaliy NECHYPORENKO Ph.D in Philosophy of Law
