Three Rooms Of Melancholia
Room Number one
longing
Kronstadt
a fortress, St. Petersburg
"Cabin unit!"
Wake up!
Make your beds!
Sports clothes for the exercise.
"Line up!"
"Gather together in the yard. "
"Airing of bedclothes!"
"Work clothes and hat!"
Who is washing himself in work clothes?
Sacha...
Do it properly.
Align,
look toward the center.
Comrade Captain, the 2nd unit is
ready for the morning inspection, -
- reports senior cadet Bulatsky.
Good morning comrade cadets.
Good morning, Comrade!
Second Grade Captain!
At ease!
Good morning, comrade cadets,
Good morning, Comrade!
Second Grade Captain
Turn to the right.
Cadet Popov, fix your hat.
- Cadet Savchenko.
- Cadet Savchenko, button undone.
- Cadet Kamelchenko.
- Cadet Kamelchenko, open the hook,
- Cadet Zhdanov.
- Cadet Zhdanov, fix the pocket flap.
- Cadet Bitufsky,
- Cadet Bitufsky, fix the scarf.
- Cadet Di.. di.. Diachenko
- Cadet Diachenko, fix your hat,
"Cadets in the yard!"
"Line up!"
"Outfit:"
"Work clothes and hat!"
Line one, two steps forward!
"Turn it around. "
"Turn it around. "
Keep straight.
One, two, three, four...
Hands on the hips!
Thighs higher!
Feet higher'! Go!
Feet higher!
That's fine. At ease!
Short steps!
Help him.
He is Kolja,
age 11.
From the city of Novorossiysk.
Story unknown
Kolja has lived on the streets.
By collecting bottles. -
- he has supported a woman
he thinks is his mother.
But the woman says
Kolja is an orphan
Kolja writes poems.
It's soon over,
a little more.
He is Misha, age 10,
from St. Petersburg.
His grandfather, who
has served in the Navy,-
took Misha from his parents
and sent him to the Academy.
It goes fine
Use the whole hall!
Stop! Forward with heels!
With dignity.
Back straight!
Where did it fly to?
A report! - Cadet Popov
has fulfilled the order.
Fire!
Somehow this didn't succeed!
- Why?
- My finger slipped.
Let me try
Lying position!
I have already told you that.
That's it,
shoot now.
He didn't cock the gun to the end.
I told him, because
I didn't hear a click.
I am sure it clicked.
There you are,
now you heard the click.
Now you can shoot
You see!
Stand up!
To the target!
Report.
One, two, three,..
Chin up!
Feet higher!
The fairy tale is about magic.
The spell couldn't-
be annulated for 300 years..
The Czarina was envious.
bewitched her daughter-in-law.
She left the girl
in the wood. And then...
When counting two,
take the right hand to the cap.
Chin up, the left on the seam line,
press it to the body.
Let me show you.
On the command two, salute!
One!
Not yet!
And now two!
Now cadet Osipov is going
to show what he has learned.
We will see how
to salute the Commander.
And... march!
Foot straight out!
Salute! Do it!
Good, Fedorov.
Turn the head more!
Fine!
Excellent!
Fighers!
next marching style.
Hook the arm!
The commander is on your right.
You salute when you
are 2-3 steps from the commander.
The arms go down
left foot hits the ground!
Free march.
Commander on your left!
Hands down!
Straighten your fingers!
Ok, now it is better.
Only march, don't salute,
March in place -
and now forward!
The next round,
is that clear?
Attention!
Person on call, stand to attention!
Under my call, no changes,
the unit is studying.
- Reported cadet Borisenko.
- Understood.
Pjstedethvil,
At ease!
- At ease!
Dmitri, age 10, mother alcoholic
and father is a mercenary
Veteran of the Afghan war
His father made
his mother leave home
When his grandmother fell sick
his father sent him to the Academy
The horses are silently snorting -
hiding their bitterness-
their burning eyes
reflect on my hands-
dancing flames of fire.
Their big eyes
are full of hate without words.
and the flames just dance.
Let the horse run free!
And set me free as well!
We two fly over the fields-
looking for happiness.
Let the horse run free!
And set me free as well!
We two fly over the fields-
looking for happiness.
four, five, six...
seven, eight, nine...
Popov, age 11,
From Arkangelsk
Both parents are alcoholics
When his home burned down-
and his mother Svetlana
fell from a balcony and died,-
Popov started to live
on the streets.
Besiege!
Arrest him!
Fire!
Hooray, attack!
Arrest him.
Down, you rotten bastard!
Go away!
Boys, go to sleep now!
They said that you are allowed
to polish your belt buckles.
In a dense August field, one year
of corn stood alone and straight.
It was beautiful, but empty.
But its voice was high.
You fools, do not look down.
Only slaves hang their heads.
I pity you,
you die in the dark.
Brothers! Look at me!
And lift your heads high!
The terrorists are organized
like on a chessboard.
So they will make sure
all the hostages die.
In the occupation
we used special forces -
to destroy those
female kamikaze-terrorists -
who were dressed in explosives
The bombs were
filled with metal balls
There were also 16 F1 grenades
and a bazooka was fired
at the fleeing people.
The blast should have
blown up the whole building
and the roof collapse.
They had 100-120 kg of Trotyl
Nothing exploded, thanks
to the Kreml special forces.
The special forces blew up
a bomb in the loft.
A seeker robot
was wounded a little.
He is Tolmachev, age 12.
From the city of Volgograd
Father unknown.
Mother Ljudmila, who is a Tatar,
joined the Russian Army and -
left the boy at the age of 6 to be
looked after by some relatives
The mother is serving in the war
against terrorism in Chechnya.
Hi mummy, I miss you.
Sorry. I forgot your birthday.
Last holiday I spent at a camp.
I sewed two soft toys there.
One for you, for the New year, -
one for my teacher.
We played table tennis
at the camp. I came 6th.
Goodbye,
Tolmachev.
To Ludmila Anatolevna, Hankala
army base, Grozny, Chechnya.
Heavy clouds hide the sky.
Clouds of lead, so heavy.
So darkness lands in my soul.
The clouds hide my life.
I want to dream like Puskin.
I'll fly in space and
sing the songs.
I wish, I wish, I wish,
each moment!
But no one understands me.
I do not obey
the orders of the officers.
I free this child
from all his sins.
Run after me.
It is real fun on the other side.
Let's visit those boats.
Just for fun.
Let's take a tugboat,
it will take us through the ice.
Mamma, determeg.
Mummy, it's me.
I'm allowed to have a leave,
they let me out.
Are you coming to pick me up?
Mummy, on Monday they won't
let me go. That's a working day.
Did they give an order,
when should you come?
At nine?
Then I'll go with you.
Oh yes!
Mummy...
Half past six?
Yes, that's alright.
"Don't gossip near a phone, a
talking head is a treasure for a spy"
If I come, will the dog
bark at me again?
Mummy, you think it barks?
Can you promise?
Come half past six.
In the house of the Shmelevs?
Aunt Lena, please,..
Could you write a permission?
With that I will
get a winter holiday.
I could visit a friend.
He is Chebinejev Jaroslav.
Aunt Lena, at the camp
I made a soft toy.
Yes, a dog again, but bigger.
Is someone waiting for me?
Who?
Where?
Which metro station?
Clear.
Clear.
The bus is not here yet.
Keep your distance!
You dummies!
Attention! Stand straight!
Form a straight line!
Chins up! Shut your mouth!
Form a straight line!
Look at this!
Letters. -
Written together?
What's written there?
- Nothing.
Good day, Comrade
Captain, 1. Grade!
Don't scream!
Did someone stab you with a knife?
Hooray!
He is Sergej, age 14.
From the city of Grozny,
Chechnya.
His father was Russian.
Died when Russians bombed Grozny.
He is discriminated
against at the Academy -
as the boys thinks
he is a Chechen.
I saw when they dug up dad's body,
from a mass grave.
Then I became lonely.
I closed into myself.
In Grozny the war
ruined everything.
I'm going to be a soldier.
I know what war is.
Still, I'm not afraid
to kill bad people.
Here is tea for you,
grandmother. Carefully...
And take the bread.
There is something to eat as well.
Have you been sick?
- Oh, me?
Sick while I was away?
- No, I'm in good health...
My blind eyes hurt a bit.
That's all.
Have you missed me?
- Oh, how I have missed you!
When is my little Sergej coming?
Tomorrow? I ask and ask.
Freezing at night?
- Oh no...
No, I have a blanket, that blanket,
and a sweater.
Let me place this sheet better.
I fed you when you were little.
Now you feed me.
Mum and I will go to the circus,
will you feel lonely?
People come and go,
and close the door.
I just don't long anymore.
No, I can stay home alone.
Eat now.
Room number 2
Breathing
Grozny
The Capital of Chechnya
She is Hadizhat.
Since the first Chechen war
she has collected children -
from the ruins of Grozny.
Is mother at home?
What's up?
Don't cry.
Why do you cry?
Mother may get better,
and then you can return.
Do you think we will have fun?
You don't work now, do you?
You are too sick.
The oil wells will kill you.
That's why you are in bed.
That's why you can't have
the kids, you are too sick.
Did you visit Norzahai-Jurt?
I have applied again,
but they won't give it, -
if I haven't got a passport.
They won't give me one.
Don't worry,
they will have food and clothes.
Look how she scratches the lice.
Looks quite clean.
Amina, maybe you
just have dandruff.
Feed mother a bit, feed mother.
The bread is so tasty,
feed mother.
Give mother a kiss.
Yes, the bread is so tasty.
Have your husband's family
been in contact?
No, after he was killed I haven't
heard anything from them. No!
They don't remember us anymore.
Aren't they ashamed!
These girls are so pretty.
Amina, mother has had enough.
Luisa, I'll take them now.
But then you'll visit us,
agreed?
I'll come when I feel better.
Sign here.
Shall I sign?
It's for you.
Hava, mum will come and,
visit us and we can visit her.
Give mummy a kiss.
Stand up.
Don't cry.
We'll buy ice cream, won't we?
- Yes, we'll buy ice cream.
Room number 3
remembering
in the Republic of Ingushetia
He is Aslan, age 11.
Story unknown.
He was found in a cardboard box
on a freezing night.
He was sexually abused
by Russian soldiers.
Hadizhat thinks
that Aslan is Russian, -
but Aslan wants to be
a Chechen and a Muslim.
Is there something?
- Yes, bugs.
Louses? You should not have them.
I have bugs.
- Where did they come from?
Buy me an ice cream.
- I'll buy one for everybody.
Let me clean your head.
See the watch?
You can play with it.
There are still more bugs.
What? No, there is nothing.
He is Adam, age 12.
From the city of Grozny.
Adam's father was murdered
in the 1st Chechen war.
His mother, who was
a teacher of Arabic, -
lost her mental balance, -
and tried to push Adam
off a 9th floor balcony.
Tighter?
- Yes, please.
Good now?
The knot is OK?
- Yes.
- Tighter?
- It's enough.
Do it fast. Ljuba is
already angry.
Please, stop.
I won't wait for you.
- Wait!
It's good now.
She is Milana, age 19.
Russian soldiers raped her at the
age of 12 in the street in Grozny.
The child was aborted in its 7th month.
Milana had turned 13
when Hadizhat found her.
Dear Allah...
Almighty God...
My dear God,
listen to my prayer...
Keep us away from evil.
Save me from shame.
Save Hadizhat from shame also.
Bless all your orphans.
Listen to my prayer.
Dear God, I'm addressing you.
Bless me and save me from shame.
Amen.
Kiki, do you pray too?
Kiki, sing for me.