RETURN FROM THE FUTURE_teaser [RU] from STEFAN RUSU on Vimeo.
43’, HD transferred to DVD, 2019 Camera: Azat Ruziev Image editor: Denis Bartenev Sound designer: Denis Bartenev Directed by Stefan Rusu
The title refers to the plot of the science fiction novel "Return from the Stars" by Stanislav Lem. The pilot Gal Bregg returns from the space expedition, after 127 years of terrestrial time, during which the life on the Earth has radically changed. The novel discusses the ideas of social alienation, cultural shock and dystopia, which is synchronized with the current state of the city. The cosmonaut resembles an architect that return to the site he created in another century. The film is a visual essay on the current state of conservation of soviet modernist architecture of Bishkek city. The initial idea was to investigate iconic buildings, discuss with architects and experts about multiple aspects of former use and future fate of the buildings in the new political and economic circumstances, when the political agenda shifted from communist ideology to free market economy and promotion of national values. A particular aspect of this investigation is the changing status of the buildings from its former ideologically charged function and position in the society, as it is the case of the State History Museum (former V. Lenin Museum) or Gapar Aytiev Fine Art Museum, which suddenly lost their significance with the collapse of Soviet Union. During socialist period the two buildings and collections where the main instruments to shape the society and the new man – the builder of advanced socialism according to Marxist thought and principles. In independent Kyrgyzstan the former collections become obsolete and lost their influence on people; however the buildings have the potential to serve the society in the new circumstances promoting national history and culture. All together the film is an overview of the state of conservation of the buildings listed as national heritage, but also an overview on recent urban changes and transformation occurred in Bishkek after the 90s. The film was produced as part of “Insular Modernities” comprising of a series of documentaries about modernist architecture in Central Asian (Almaty, Ashkhabad, Tashkent, and Dushanbe).
