A film about the Chechen dance group

Interview with Director Masha Novikova

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I knew Daymohk for many years. In the time of the war, I was there in Grozny shooting for the film of Jis de Putter. Life has changed and I came back. I find it hard how they are living now.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Because we never know how other people live every day in war and in a time of dictatorship.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Difficult. Because I love this family and I know that they don’t have choices. And the future can be only more tragic than now. Because if the dictatorship falls - his life can be only more dangerous than now. That’s paradoxical.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

In the beginning, we thought that it can’t be too extremely heavy. They never wanted to explain to me and I never talk about the feelings. Mutual film!

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Always I was thinking about the time of war when I met the family and my conclusion was incredible - they were happier in the time of war than now.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

This was very surprising. Because the first I met them, their lives looked better (big houses, cars...) but they are always very afraid to make mistakes, to say anything wrong.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Understanding the other.

Would you like to add anything else?

I am now also afraid for the future of my family.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I want to make a film about my family in Russia - about a hundred years of Soviet time and all that happened with my family - Stalin terror, deportation, anti-Jewish politic and ctr. I am searching for a good produc

Interview: April 2019

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Daymohk

A film about the Chechen dance group

Length: 1:25

Director: Masha Novikova

Producer: Zeppers film, Cerutti film

Writer: Tamara Vuurman

About the writer, director and producer:

MASHA NOVIKOVA

Born in Moscow, first film Three Comeades 2006, Sundance festival

Looking for: distributors