Soviet propaganda made Belarusian history of WWII very simple - bad Germans, good Belarusian partisans under the guidance of Russian leadership; some rotten apples went to serve as policemen under the German occupation, but the good people of Belarus dealt with them.
Mysterium. Occupation paints a very different picture. The Russian partisans are not so much into fighting Germans, but into taking food, alcohol and goods from the local peasants. The Germans are not evil monsters, but carry intelligent conversations about cinema (though they do seem to care about Germans only). And Belarusians are victimized by both sides - some are fighting against Germans, some are serving in police under them, and all of them suffering. The movie shows simple characters - lovers, mothers, but their affairs are not simple at all. It's hard to carry on your life when death is always near.
The plot dispels some Soviet myths, sometimes trying to create new ones and becomes a bit predictable towards the end - that's why I give it 9 and not 10. But the shooting, the actors' performances and the overall quality of this low-budget movie are highly recommended.
For those who understands both Russian and Belarusian - pay attention to what is and isn't translated. Russian translation is not one-to-one and sometimes the omissions are telling a lot.
Mysterium. Occupation paints a very different picture. The Russian partisans are not so much into fighting Germans, but into taking food, alcohol and goods from the local peasants. The Germans are not evil monsters, but carry intelligent conversations about cinema (though they do seem to care about Germans only). And Belarusians are victimized by both sides - some are fighting against Germans, some are serving in police under them, and all of them suffering. The movie shows simple characters - lovers, mothers, but their affairs are not simple at all. It's hard to carry on your life when death is always near.
The plot dispels some Soviet myths, sometimes trying to create new ones and becomes a bit predictable towards the end - that's why I give it 9 and not 10. But the shooting, the actors' performances and the overall quality of this low-budget movie are highly recommended.
For those who understands both Russian and Belarusian - pay attention to what is and isn't translated. Russian translation is not one-to-one and sometimes the omissions are telling a lot.