Belarusian auteur Darya Zhuk, fresh off the success of her debut masterpiece "Crystal Swan," embarks on a daring new venture with "Exactly What It Seems," a sinister sci-fi satire that skewers the face of modern authoritarianism. This haunting cinematic endeavor, birthed from the collaborative efforts of producers Volia Chajkouskaya and Ivo Felt (Estonia) of Allfilm, alongside Violetta Krechetova, draws inspiration from the poignant short story by Tatsiana Zamirovskaya, who doubles as a co-scribe. Capturing the essence of its Belarusian, English, and Russian dialogue, the film promises a multilingual tapestry of emotion and intrigue.
Allfilm, the esteemed production house co-founded by Ivo Felt, boasts an illustrious past that includes Academy Award-nominated "Tangerines" and Golden Globe-nominated "The Fencer" by Klaus Häro. Now, it sets its sights on the unconventional world of "Exactly What It Seems," where a beleaguered married couple, Nadia and Fedor, flee for political asylum in the United States only to be thrust back into the heart of Belarus via a sinister quantum technology concocted by scientists loyal to the oppressive regime.
Trapped in the forests of their native land, hunted like fugitives, Nadia and Fedor find themselves at a crossroads. To reclaim their freedom and escape the clutches of tyranny, they must confront and heal the fractures within their own relationship. Zhuk, the visionary director, imparts a profound vision: "This isn't a film awash in special effects but a grounded, all-too-real portrayal of our world, premised on the fantastical yet haunting assumption that such technology exists, capable of instantly transporting those nostalgic for Belarus back to their homeland. Yet, the server holds a sinister secret—it appears to work one-way, storing only Belarusian memories, leaving those trapped with no escape but to confront their demons and forge a path to safety."
Regrettably, for a select few, this cutting-edge technology stands as their deepest, darkest fear. My protagonists, hunted for their political activism in their native soil, find themselves in a precarious position where returning home is nothing short of perilous. In tandem with Tatyana Zamirovskaya, Zhuk embraced the power of genre to confront issues that might otherwise prove indigestible within the confines of stark realism.
"Satire and science fiction offer a brilliant buffer, distancing us just enough from the unyielding realities of a tyrannical regime and providing a lens to scrutinize the emotional scars left by Belarus's failed revolution in 2020," Zhuk elaborated. "Furthermore, we aspire to broaden the narrative's reach, inviting an audience that might be oblivious to these contemporary events into a world of profound insight."
Looking back, Zhuk's 2018 drama, "Crystal Swan," a tale of a young DJ navigating the 1990s in pursuit of her American Dream, marked a historic milestone as Belarus's maiden entry into the Oscars' Best Foreign Language Film category in over two decades. "It served as a gateway, unlocking numerous opportunities," she reminisced fondly.
Since then, her creative odyssey has seen her pen and helm projects for esteemed platforms like Apple TV+, FX/Hulu, Netflix (with the detective thriller "Zato"), and Amazon Europe's "Russian Affairs." Some of these endeavors, like Apple's "Little America," she highlighted, carried a deeply personal touch, further solidifying her position as a versatile and emotionally resonant storyteller.
As we embarked on the creation of 'Crystal Swan,' my team and I embarked on a revolutionary journey, reinventing the art of filmmaking amidst the absence of local funding support. We now aspire to replicate this feat, but on a grander scale and amidst a more challenging political landscape, with our upcoming project, 'Exactly What It Seems,' which is poised to engage in a profound dialogue with my previous endeavors.
Zhuk, a Harvard and Columbia University-educated filmmaker, reveals, "This film delves into the intricate, often painful relationship I share with my homeland, and the fractures within the American Dream as perceived by recent immigrants. It's a dystopian sci-fi drama that traverses the treacherous terrain of toxic nostalgia and the relentless quest for identity amidst the oppressive shadows of a totalitarian regime. Reflecting back, I realize that Velya, my protagonist in 'Crystal Swan,' too, was on a quest for self-discovery, adrift between her Belarusian origins and her yearning for freedom in America. Yet, now, there's an even more profound imperative to delve into the very essence of one's being and confront one's deepest fears."
Volia Chajkouskaya, a Belarus-born producer now based in Estonia, who has been honored with Locarno's prestigious Match Me! Initiative this year, is also helming 'Mono,' a poignant tale of a woman's struggle to comprehend the mysterious circumstances surrounding her teenage hearing loss. Despite being blacklisted by her native Belarusian regime, Chajkouskaya exudes unwavering enthusiasm, stating, "I am thrilled beyond measure about this project. It's a poignant narrative about Belarus, a land I haven't set foot in for half a decade, and it tackles timeless, universal themes of totalitarian oppression, displacement, and the quest for identity. With an exceptional team of seasoned professionals whom I've had the pleasure of knowing for years and whose work I deeply admire, I am confident that we will secure the necessary resources to breathe life into this project as swiftly as possible."
