The documentary, Anna, is different from anything that we have watched this year. I thought the use of youth in the documentary through the interviews of Anna and the children’s speeches resembled the use of youth Burnt by the Sun. I think the different in answers to the questions as Anna got older was inevitable but very interesting. The first time she was interviewed, she gave very childish answers of being most scared of a witch. The next time she is interviewed, the idea of being scared to answer the question right and being unlike everyone else came up. The next interview she expressed concern for the state and economy as the political situation has influenced her to worry about these issues. Also, the film of the masses in large theaters shows the unity of the people and is a parallel to these interviews. Some of these images are of young children chanting that they are committed and loyal to the motherland. I struck me how young the people are started on obeying the motherland. This film gave a very interesting parallel of the youth in Russia to the political and larger issues in Russia.
I would also like the point out that Nikita Mikhalkov took the time the tell how hard it was to film and make a documentary in that time. All of the people working on the film were putting their lives in great risk due to the policies of art. I thought it was very interesting that he pointed this out in his documentary.
I’d like to add to your point about the ways in which Mikhalkov risked his reputation and more by hiding footage for so many years. I think this is definitely a point we should not overlook. Why did he pursue this project? As he stated, he wanted to look into the differences and similarities of his life and that of his daughter, Anna.
Overall, Mikhalkov does a great job of shaping personal accounts for a time of great change. This documentary also has so many rich details that serve to shine light on such a unique time!
Hmmm all of this is very interesting. I like that you bring in the actual person risk of making such a film. I think it shows that it really did mean a lot too him. Today, in class and in the blog discussions, we have discussed the morality of the making of this film, and grappled with the use of Anna for the creation of art. But there is no doubt in my mind that a message was being sent, and, considering the personal risk involved in the film, I think the message must have been considered to be a very important one. Considering how Anna was being affected by the political world the film is critiquing, I think its safe to say that Mikhalkov felt some kind of obligation to make Anna’s story heard.