“This is my way. I chose him myself and must pass it to the end.
Film directed by Alexander Parkhomenko “Cure fear”. If you look at our domestic cinema (I consider this Belarusian-Ukrainian film to be ours), you get the feeling that this film appeared in it by some miracle. There are no such biographical films now. Big screens were flooded with a completely different movie with very different "heroes".
The amazing life of a man, almost our contemporary, and at the same time - a saint.
The Soviet doctor, the most talented surgeon Valentin Felixovich Voyno-Yasenetsky and he is the Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea, listed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as saints and canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in the host of new martyrs and confessors of Russia.
Full of the most difficult trials fate and choices made for the benefit of people. The history of man against the background of the history of the country. It struck me that while still a young man, Voyno-Yasenetsky chose for himself not the field of an artist, to which his soul lay, but medicine, since this sphere of activity, in his opinion, could bring the greatest benefit to other people. Modern youth, choosing the field of activity, based on completely different criteria, probably do not understand this. It is also an amazing fact that the innocently convicted and serving a Siberian exile Luke, learning about the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, sends a telegram to Kalinin:
I, Bishop Luke, Professor Voyno-Yasenetsky, being a specialist in purulent surgery, can help soldiers in front or rear conditions, where I am entrusted. Please interrupt my link and send it to the hospital. At the end of the war, I am ready to return to exile.” "Ready to go back to exile!" You watch the film and you understand what love for people, for your homeland, a great sincere desire to be useful, to alleviate the suffering of the people, the heart of this man, over whom his own country was so tormented!
In general, in my opinion, the film “Cure Fear” is primarily about a strong spirit, courageous, high moral and noble man who made his life choice in the most difficult historical conditions. Throughout his life, in spite of physical and spiritual trials, he firmly followed his principles and higher ideals, his faith. As a surgeon, he healed the bodies, and as a spiritual shepherd, the souls of those around him. And the picture fully reflects that.
In the film, the strong acting work of Vitaly Bezrukov and Andrei Saminin embodied the image of Luke in different periods of his life, as well as Ekaterina Guseva, who played his wife. I would also like to mention Victoria Malektorovich (sister of mercy Sophia Sergeevna) and Alexey Shevchenkov (proessor Mikhailovsky). There are a lot of emotional scenes in the picture, when it is impossible to resist tears, scenes that cause real shock.
In general, when viewing the picture, you are imbued with great respect for this Man (that is, with a capital letter) for his exceptional dedication both in professional, medical practice and in his spiritual life. For the courageous humility with which he accepted and overcame all suffering and hardships, and, of course, for the good and love that he brought to this world and gave to people. He keeps giving.
When this film came out, I was very glad that I decided to make a film about St. Luke, who lived, one might say, quite recently and in times when faith weakened and persecution and wars came.
First of all, this picture reminds the viewer that saints and just very good people are always among us. Not in distant centuries, not in monasteries and even sometimes not in temples, but here and now. Luke is just an ordinary worker who tried to work for the conscience and benefit of people. Having made one choice, in particular, going to work as a surgeon, he got the next and the next, in the end living honestly and selflessly (renouncing himself completely) Luke grew spiritually and he was no longer disturbed by thoughts of this order. And what will happen to me?, now the holy doctor cared only for his neighbor and lived a full life, for how to live without helping those who are nearby?
I think the film conveyed this emotional torment well, when everything is at the limit but a person still tries to go his own way despite all the cruelty of the world.
The creators chose a good reception when they mixed the past with the future. Luke’s memories seemed to come to life and forced him to empathize and rethink his life as a young man next to him.
In terms of music, everything is also fine, if only, sometimes the musical background was not mixed with the speech of the characters because of what the perception was somewhat weakened, but this is not a very significant argument.
The visual performance was also slightly shaken due to the abundance of darkened scenes.
But despite these last flaws, I got what I wanted: a strong, lively movie about real life, a real person.
Thank you to everyone who worked on the painting.
The idea of the film is not to depict a video version of the life of Archbishop Luke Voyno-Jasensky. In this regard, of course, there are many things to complain about and condemn. But there was no such purpose in this film, as far as I understand. It makes no sense to look at it in this way.
This is a film about a great, sincere, honest and true faith, which cannot be broken by hard times and trials. A film about the true Orthodox faith, reflected in the life of a man who lived with us not so long ago (certainly some people who have had contact with St. Luke are still alive).
The film shows the basics of the Christian faith & #39; in the case & #39; Not empty sounds spoken and forgotten, or words written on paper, but precisely lived... embodied in the life of a real person: God is Love; God loves all people and awaits their repentance and correction (so Christ teaches to love and pray even for his enemies, as he himself prayed for those who crucified Him: ' Forgive them, for they do not know what they do'); with God you are not alone everywhere; life in this world is temporary, but man continues to live in eternity.
It feels like the filmmakers approached this issue responsibly, with awe and love. It is felt and accepted by the heart. Here you do not feel the pursuit of profit, rewards, but you feel sincerity.
There are sins, but nothing is perfect.
That's a great idea. Perhaps this is the rare case when I wanted more timekeeping. Strong play of the main actors. In my opinion, it was the acting and the idea of the film that drew the whole picture.
I would like to give you the best estimate, but...
Clearly, a more detailed development of each event was lacking. It was like a very big trailer. Everything is presented quite succinctly: interrogations, conversations, exile, medical activities in exile and at the front. There was a feeling that the bulk of the material tried to fit in a given airtime. It is a pity that St. Luke did not live in the 13th century and we have enough sources about his biography.
The camera work was disappointing: many scenes were shot in poor lighting, or an unfortunate angle was clearly chosen. But, again, the viewer is ready to forgive all this for the very idea of the film, so you can watch and read about St. Luke endlessly. It is a pity that they did not show the moment of the saint’s funeral, when all Russia gathered, and the authorities could do nothing against popular veneration. Of course, the shot with a flying pigeon is also not bad, but I think that the scale of the farewell procession would make a greater impression.
Nevertheless, the film looked with great interest and left a bright impression.
8 out of 10
The film, made two years ago, pierced half the planet, finally got to us. Over these two years, not only did the film change its name, so it was also banned for distribution in Ukraine.
The life of the saint, with all the hardships, with all the grief, with all the deaths, with all the achievements, with all the joy, is it possible to fit in 110 minutes of screen time? And in general, can it be shown by available means what holiness is, how do they become saints?
The Chinese have a wonderful saying about the time of change. It is at times that a person and what is in a person are tested. These are the times. And a hundred years ago, there were times like this. The borders of states changed, the fates of people were broken. As in a bubbling stream, not the best (as now in Ukraine) was brought up and raised, and sometimes the worst of the worst – both of people and in people themselves.
A failed doctor who became a priest suddenly betrays God and walks away.
A doctor, a surgeon with an already established name suddenly becomes a priest and then a bishop. And that's not stopping doing surgery.
The path of the future saint was difficult - not to faith, to God. To the Service.
For some reason, talking about this path (at least take the annotation to the film), they say that his wife died suddenly, which he could not cure and, as it were, was the impetus that led to the Path. Nope. Valentin Felixovich from childhood was chosen by God for His ministry. To understand this, it is enough to get acquainted with the life of the saint or, even better, with his autobiography, on which the film was made. “I have loved suffering.”
The ability to draw very finely, and my love of form turned into a love of anatomy. From a failed artist I became an artist in anatomy and surgery.
God led the future saint all his life. Choosing between painting and saving lives, he chooses to become a doctor. Choosing between despair after the death of his wife and acceptance of what happened as the work of God (" Thy will be done), he chooses to move forward and, having entrusted the children to a family friend, continues to work. Choosing between renunciation and ascension to the Cross, he chooses the Cross.
The work should look like a diamond, wherever you turn it, it shines.
The saint became a diamond. Arrest, searches, GPU cellars, exiles. About twelve years of prisons and exiles: Krasnoyarsk, Arkhangelsk, Bolshaya Murta of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Yeniseysk, Turukhansk... All this could not but temper and not cleanse it.
In the film, the whole life of the saint is shown in fragments, like threads torn from a common canvas. Without knowing anything about the saint, you will not learn anything from the film. Unfortunately, we learn little about the children raised by Sophia Sergeevna, about Sofia Sergeevna herself (shown in the film for some reason I thought vulgar).
Personally, I was pleased with the news that soon there will be a series in which the personality of the saint will be revealed more fully. Because I don’t want people who are far from faith, from God, to look at the film and ask: what is all this about? And this question even flashed in my head. Because against the background of the actors’ not very clear play, the zeal of the plot, I want to see Life. The life of a holy man.
If you do not believe in God, you will doubt your faith. If you already have faith, it will be strengthened.
On the first day after watching it, I thought that I would tell all my friends and acquaintances to watch this film, to ask, to convince them: “Be sure to watch it!” This is a great movie!
Days have passed and I keep thinking about this movie. Thinking, living over and over again. He does not let me go, he disturbs my mind, my heart and all the strings of my soul.
I won't recommend watching it. This movie isn't for everyone. About a quarter of the room left after 30-40 minutes of viewing.
Do not look if you are unable to survive the sight of blood, the footage from the operating surgeon, suffering, human meanness, hardship and death. Most likely, you will be hurt, you will not be able to hold back tears. It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman. Everyone cried. And when the movie is over, you're going to be watching the credits, and you're going to be sitting in the room looking at the blank screen, unable to stand up. It will take you a while to get back to your normal life. You may not be able to return, your world will never be the same again. If you do not believe in God, you will doubt your faith. If you already have faith in you, it will surely strengthen.
For me, this film turned out to be primarily about True Faith, about what a great destiny can be lived by a person if God lives in his heart. The strength and weakness of the Spirit. About honor and dignity, about the Russian intelligentsia, about love of earthly and heavenly. About accepting your fate, without regrets, reproaches and pity for yourself and others. The importance of living without betraying yourself. About mercy, compassion, acceptance and forgiveness.
The film tells about the life of one of the most revered saints of the XX century of the Russian Orthodox Church - St. Luke (Voyno-Yasenevsky). In the years of the terrible persecution of the Church in Soviet Russia, he, being a successful surgeon, but seeing how churches are closed and ruined, becomes an Orthodox priest and, by the grace of God, very quickly rises to the rank of archbishop.
Told in the last years of his life, the autobiography, by that time, already a blind ascetic of the Christian faith, is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. Where men are cut down like grass, our hero remains the pillar of the Christian faith and proves to all that God is love. He is equally fond of both the white officer and the former priest, who, having joined the Bolsheviks, forces him to remove his cassock and renounce his faith.
The real miracle is that Valentin Felixovich (the real name of St. Luke) survived, wearing a medical robe over the priest’s cassock, when an icon hung in his operating room, and at the end of the Great Patriotic War he was also awarded the Stalin Prize.
The picture perfectly shows moments of true faith in God, when a person finds himself in a deadly dangerous situation, but at the same time says that the worst thing is when you can not help another.
Archbishop Luke’s patience and true trust in God give us a real example of human firmness and the highest morality, very important for preserving the Human Face in the modern world.
8 out of 10
That is how I would complement the original title of this painting by Alexander Parkhomenko.
To return to God is something other than a permanent consequence of all life, when, having forgotten about conscience and morality, we once again fall and fall, thus turning away from Him, while He expects us to return to his embrace.
So in this picture, we are presented with the severe fall of the Russian man in the fateful hour of the history of our country, where everyone had to fall, but not everyone rose.
If we return to the artistic and pictorial aspect, we should note a fairly simple and easy-to-perceive approach to narrating the life of the main Hero through the prism of time. On the other hand, here it looks as if it could not be convenient, thus forming a single philosophical idea, comparing the past and the present. And the viewer can look into the future, everyone himself.
This is certainly not a large-scale project supported by Min. Cult, etc., and perhaps the first serious work of this director. But I cannot say that the film did not turn out to be bland or unexpressive as in camera work, as in the soundtrack, in general in the technical side. To be honest, this question stopped bothering me after 20 minutes of watching. Then you are fascinated by the plot itself and the work of the actors. And this is certainly the strength of the film, as well as the impression itself after watching.
Very spectacular for me was the episode with the opening of the closed temple, and again and again, despite the time, despite the trials. It's ours! That’s what I’m saying: Go back to God!
Amazingly, but with a rather seemingly weak work, personally for me it turned out quite good and very at the level of the film.
Of course, I remembered the very life of the Saint, but the picture is good by itself, including all of the above.
Thank you for your attention, pleasant viewing and help God!
8 out of 10