Motherland, a documentary on violence and abuse in the Belarusian military, has won the DOX:AWARD at the 2023 CPH:DOX, Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival.
In Motherland, Filmmaker Alexander Mihalkovich and Filmmaker/Journalist Hanna Badziaka underscore the causes and consequences of the decades-old “tradition” of violent bullying, torture and murder as a means of control over military conscripts in Belarus. In 2020, activists raged in the streets against this state-led violence rooted in “dedovshchina,” the cruel abuse that supposedly turns boys into soldiers, but instead is the very mechanism of fear and violence the government uses to control its populace.
The Jury commented, “This was such a cinematic and meaningful film that took its time unfolding the complexity of living within an oppressive and unjust system. It poses questions about the idea of an individual choice within a cornered society. The title of the film is a way to give back the power to the women who are at the forefront of this fight. The award goes to ‘Motherland’ by Hanna Badziaka and Alexander Mihalkovich.”
In a statement, filmmakers Alexander Mihalkovich and Hanna Badziaka said, “We were happy and excited to premiere the film at CPH:DOX and were so moved by the audience’s response. The feeling that people get the layers and senses we were thinking about while making the film, and feel its pace and atmosphere, is something really valuable. And it’s extremely honorable for us that the film has the jury’s recognition: We are grateful for their high evaluation of the film, a film that has become not only an artistic journey for us, but a life-changing experience in many aspects.”
Related posts:
