‘Phallic’ Russian Art Group Voina at Berlinale
It’s fitting that in these times of protest in Russia, the country’s sole entrant in the documentary section at Berlin’s prestigious Berlinale Film Festival was Zavtra (Tomorrow) about the controversial art group, Voina, or War. Though most famous for drawing a giant phallus on a drawbridge in St. Petersburg facing the offices of the former KGB, that provocation is just one among many beasty performances. Director Andrey Gryazey’s fast-paced documentary, which was shot for just $2,000, shows them tipping over police cars as protest against the oppressive regime, driving cars with green buckets over the roof to mock the ‘flashing green lights’ of VIP vehicles, and indulging in various other acts of provocation and vandalism.
Though some of the footage is staged, it’s impossible to tell the difference between those and the documentary material. Supposedly, the group were wary of cooperating with the director, and only agreed when he promote the group’s YouTube video clips through the film, thus creating a new platform for communication.
What’s particularly interesting about Voina and their raw, anti-establishment tactics is the surprising endorsement that they have received from the Putin regime that they attack. They were awarded a $15,000 prize by the Russian Culture of Ministry for the best art work of 2010. Despite protests by radical Russian youth movement, Nashi, Putin regime’s embrace of Voina is a sign that times are changing. The Kremlin would rather embrace political dissent in these times than be seen as being intolerant and out of step with the times. For that move, Putin might have the last laugh.