Hey, humans. How's it going. Susan Ruth here.
Thanks for listening to another episode of hey,
human podcast.
This is episode 414,
and my guest is dim bart. Dim was
born in Russia. He was a film critic
and culture and society journalist there, but was
forced to flee.
He's an award winning writer director, his films
dead end, and the power of the strike,
are exceptional. I've seen both of them. His
story shine, a light on complex trauma, toxic
masculinity,
sexuality.
They're really complex and beautiful,
Definitely the work of an a tour
really lovely and
stunning stunning work. I met
Dim at the Portland Horror Festival.
We both had films there,
and
got to be friends, and he's a really
cool guy and his story
is a fascinating 1. He's been through a
lot.
General stuff. I'm on Patreon at susan Ruth.
Check out hey human podcast podcasts dot com
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Rate review and subscribe to, hey, human podcast
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and thank you for listening. Thank you for
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For 8 years,
be well, be kind,
love.
Here we go.
Demon bart welcome to a, human.
K. Hey. Thanks for having me.
It's nice to see you. Yeah. Nice to
see you too after, you know, like,
2 weeks or 3 weeks.
After portland horror from Festival, yeah. Which was
incredibly good. And I love our meeting and,
yeah. Yeah.
Thanks for having me.
Absolutely.
You... I mean, I met so many incredible
people.
At that festival.
Everyone was kind
and creative and interesting.
Your...
I had a a couple top top films
that I watched as a spectator even though
we both had films in it, and it
was fun to do the q and a
with you and all of that,
your film dead end stood out to me,
it's so exceptional. And
I thought, okay. Who that. I mean, we
had met sort of been chatting and passing
and stuff, but Like, I need to know
this person who created this, and I just
today watched your other film, the power of
the strike.
Brilliant loved it.
So you're really a talent. And I think
that there are a lot of people out
and I'm just gonna gus shu you for
a second. There a lot of people on
the world that do really
beautiful work, have really beautiful art and say
a lot with very little time or space
to do it in.
And
you definitely are
to me a cut above most of the
stuff I see. So... Well done. Bravo. Yeah.
It's it's so important to hear because, you
know, like, sometimes,
it's so dark around. You know my story
and probably I'll share it. With you're, like
Audience as well, when you are, like, meeting
people or, you know, like filmmakers or just
just people from the crowd that could you
know, like,
appreciate your art, see something in it. You
just It just a good reminder,
there is something that could push you forward
that could, you know, like, make your life
reasonable.
Well, And I think 2 creative have a
lot of
I'm... I speak for myself. I think we
have a certain level of self doubt,
which
is twofold. It pushes us.
To do more to work harder,
but it also
once we create a thing, we think, alright.
Now I've sent my baby off into the
world and it's not up to me how
it does. I've now... I've done everything I
can do. Now it's up to the baby
to
get people to respond. Oh sure. It's and
you can forget, you know that, oh, I
worked really hard on this, and and I'm
really proud of this, but in the movie,
like oh my god. This person is watching
it now.
Yeah. For sure. But, you know, like, at
end of the day, we are making art
for
ourselves. You you'll never predict
the direction.
Because, you know, this reaction doesn't depend on
you. This reaction doesn't depend on your talent
initial aim or something like that. So many
people, so many reactions, so many love hate
relationships and stuff like that. We just need
to to express yourselves.
Yeah. I think you hit it right on
the head and that
I can't... I don't know about you, but
I can't imagine.
Spending a live doing anything other than the
creative work I do? Yeah. And, you know,
like, for me it's really obvious that I
e just can do anything
besides, you know, like filmmaking
besides art. Because I used to be journalist,
and I did that, like,
10 years or so I burnt out, like,
completely I almost committed suicide because of that.
And I got this idea that I just
I just can't do anything, you know? Because
I found this passion. This 1 on thing
that makes my life reasonable.
Makes my my life something. Worth living.
Lay up for sure. For sure. And
that's why I just can't, you know, like,
Kuwait. Yeah. I get it completely. Let's go
back to the beginning of you.
Let's talk about where you're from and what
childhood was like.
Yeah. I'm I'm I'm I'm from, like, really
small town,
close to Moscow. It's like county to Los
angeles.
This...
This
town called Krishna, and it's famous by its,
Soviet really famous cameras,
called Zenith,
So we got this Zenith factory
really close to my mom's place. It's like
15 minutes walk or something.
So it's kind cinematic town, but it's like,
in the middle of Nowhere,
even being, like, really close to moscow. So
it's basically like the border.
Between Moscow and Moscow region or something.
So, basically, I'm unlike Moscow kit, but got
this feeling
of being stuck
in the middle of Nowhere. Because our our
town is like really small, a lot of
people know each other And,
yeah, it's got
it got, like, its own
mentality,
not like big city mentality, but something rural,
something suburban.
So, yeah, I'm from from this this place,
the a lot of different people, bad people
good people. And I always wanted to
escape. Wanted to run away from this place.
That's why for my early teenager years, I
was like in Moscow,
like, kitchen every day, I'm getting this, you
know, like, public transportation to together there, and,
you know, like, attending different screenings and, like,
events and stuff like that. Yeah. As a
kid, you would go to screenings even then?
Yeah. Firstly, you know, I've been always like
fascinating with film world with Cinema. Because when
I was like 4 my parents were divorced,
And then they rem to got their own
families.
And,
my dad, like, disappeared from my life.
For a year or something. And then he
got back as weekend and daddy something like
that.
And he he brought me to the local
sin theater and showed me, like, a lot
of stuff that really
that ended up is a huge part of
myself, I don't know, Iron man from Marvel
studios. Like,
Casino Royale,
which was, like 1 of the most
like, 1 of the first films that I
saw in Theaters, I guess.
It was so so so such a big
deal for me or even franchise, you know,
it was kinda crazy,
but it was like a part of my
education part of my, you know, like, 2
thousands.
So, yeah. I I got this
fascination. And
when I was a kid, I started to
play this
different social media quizzes,
competitions,
you know, like, to to get free tickets,
to different advanced screenings and stuff like that.
And
sometimes I got, like, a big ones
I attended this Russian premiere of
the movie called
total recall. It was, like remake.
With the call farrell, and I still got
this
screening invitation with signed by colin farrell
somewhere in Moscow yeah.
And
1 of these screenings was actually not like
public screening, but was like,
you know, this professional event was like press
screening.
It was as far as I remember, it
was now you me,
the movie by
about these magicians with Jc and Barr and
stuff like that. And
it was very first press screening for me,
it was my, you know, like it's
thing. But at the end of the day,
I got this connection
to 1 of these journalists
that got the job
on 1 of these
online media
And through this person, I got this, you
know, like, being
contributor for this social,
not like social, but just online media.
Outlet or something. And it would like we're
beginning for this journalist
Johnny, Journalist Johnny.
And then I got, like, a lot of
a lot of different jobs like
being an anchor,
and, you know, like, like, radio host and
writing for different, different
really famous media outlets that's like forbes or
G or Esquire
something like that. Yeah. I'm curious did the
politics
of the region, filter in to the films
where they edited it it all? Did they...
When... As a journalist yourself? Did you start
to feel any kind of
containment
around you?
Firstly, I covered phil only, and then I
got this transition to, you know, like, politics
and social,
journalism.
There was, like, no sense of ship in
this,
I don't know like 5 cents.
But with each and every year, it's getting
worse. For that... For example, we got this
rocket main situation.
You know, this smoother rocket man about,
Elton John,
played by Tu,
the beach is incredible.
I mean, like that or incredible. The movie
is incredible, like, teach and every part of
this movie, like, sword uplifting team. I love
this 1, and I lot from musicals and
it's like musical as well. In Russia,
these local distributors
decided to go with some...
Like self censorship stuff.
They cut this
sex scene of,
from the movie and they cut off this,
you know, like, final,
like, quote, like, you know, this
when we got this movie about, you know,
like, movies based on true events, we got,
like, something that happened, you know, like, next.
And they
cut
this line about him and his husband off.
So
sometimes it could be
sunset it like this. Or, you know, like
sometimes,
there are some lines in different cut.
Like animation, like, pixar animation about,
you know, like, female character talking about her,
like,
a female partner or something like that, and
event of the day is it just partner,
not like female partner. It it could happen
like this or sometimes times,
some could be banned in Russia, like there
were there was the movie called
the death of stalin, something like that,
pan
attire, like, really good 1. And it was,
like,
ready to go to theaters
or almost came out.
And
just before, like, 2 or, 3 days.
Before the day release, release day, it was
like banned.
Because of, you know, like, politics and this
really sensitive theme for russian government.
Because you know, Russia is still, like soviets.
Yeah.
So sometimes, it happened.
But now now, like,
different
legislation
are getting worse, and,
yeah, There are no room for clear films
for, like, real
politics
on screen and stuff like that.
And
mostly it came from distributors, because, you know,
like, they are just
afraid of, you know, like, being bumped by
the government.
Sure.
Was there a real sense in the community?
And as a kid growing up as well,
knowing that
Lgbtq, people are looked down on or even
killed,
is tell me about that and how it
was to be around that atmosphere.
Yeah.
Almost told my life Was, like, the part
of this, you know, like, liberal
high progressive Moscow bubble.
And it was a good thing for me
because, you know, like, it's...
This bubble got more freedom than, you know,
like,
a different citizen in rock
besides Moscow And Petersburg or N Nov grid.
We got, like, some rural and suburban
that could be, you know, like, even more
tough.
But even in this bowel, I got this
idea that I couldn't be, like, openly,
I don't know, gay or openly clear. Or
openly
mind even,
because something was in the air, You know,
like, you feel
or
suppressed. You feel,
you know, like, scared something like that. And
now it's even unbearable. I'm really afraid of
you know, like,
this situation with Russian with our kids right
now,
They got no representation around. They got no
rights to to just to date
someone that they are like.
Yeah. It's illegal. Right?
It's basically illegal. Yeah. Because, you know, like,
now
Lgbtq community.
Was named as
extremist
organization, something
extremist,
Lord.
Yeah it's it's like... It's basically like, you
know, a girl. Like, yeah. That's crazy.
The basically gay people are terrorists.
Russia. I'm mean I mean, according the law.
So, yeah. It's a huge part of
Russian government's
mentality in, Russian government's
protection policy. When you're trying to
to stay in power, you trying to find
this inner our enemy.
Before the the war started between Russian, Ukraine,
and, you know, like, they found
like not inner, but outside enemy.
They try to find pennies
inside the country. And it could be, like,
you know, immigrants
it could be gay people, it could be,
like,
minorities
let's sale like that.
Do you
worry when you see America's policies
heading in those directions?
A bit because, you know, like, rush just
so alike the Us.
Because, you know, like, for example, I got
a lot of conversation with different Americans about
your history about the history of the country.
And probably, like, Obama's years were like the
best years for the country,
And we got the same with, like, this,
4 years with the president midwest,
which now it's gone mad unfortunately. But before
that, it was like so liberal. It was
he was so close to Obama as well.
And
we got, like, a lot of common points.
But, fortunately,
the Us got really
strict.
Judgment
system or something. Russian
court
is so connected to the government.
And there are no room for, you know,
like, freedom in this field as well. So
it's like basically the Us, but, you know,
worse in the worst way. So, yeah, I
I'm pretty boring, but I still got some
hope, you know? Because if America falls.
Sell of the world's falls.
Yeah. I believe that too.
Tell me about when you started to
create
what we would call an America ra browser,
what when you started to create some conflict
and you began to realize that the things
you were writing
and saying
we're on the watch list.
When it burnt out with this, you know,
like... Film journalism and stuff like that. I
achieved a lot of different fancy stuff like,
being on film set,
or
you know, like, doing junk with different celebrities.
I that idea that I need to make
this transition to filmmaking.
But, you know, like for making this hard
and
while you're, like,
developing your, like, first short and then feature,
you need to do something else. Like,
page job or something like that. And I
still was doing journalism,
and I started doing, you know, like, this
entrepreneur
job, like,
I ran this cinema theater
Downtown Moscow. I did some private and public
events. For different, you know, like, reach people
and stuff like that just to on money
to pay rent and stuff like that. But
still, I was doing journalism, and I decided
to make my journalism like more reasonable,
because, you know, like, for me, part of
this burning out was like,
This film john was that this, you know,
like small talk interviews,
it doesn't make sense.
But, you know, like, when you're doing something
social and political,
it could be reasonable.
Even in the countries, like Russia.
And so I decided to be honest with
the white audience. I, firstly, wrote this S
say about my generation generation z in our
attitude to Sex and Sex on screen,
which was like a huge splash. You know,
like, a lot of people were talking about
this as say,
but talking about my vulnerability,
my sensitivity
and stuff like that. And I was, like,
even
b by this people on Facebook, like elderly,
you know? Bullied or b?
Bullet, bullet. Bullet. I mean, like, they try
to be so aggressive and, you know, like,
hurt me in different ways, and it was
like,
yeah. I was a bit ruined, but I
learned my lesson
and it's a good thing for being, you
know, like, our person because, you know, like,
when you're art person, it could be, you
know, like, hurt.
Even faster
and more crucial and stuff like that.
Yeah. And after this essay say, I got
this said idea that I'm really good in
it and I could talk, you know, like,
to a lot of people about this
controversial themes,
and I got some face about
my
generation now attitude to politics, to
position.
I
I was covering this, you know, like,
this like generational thing.
And when you are talking about yourself, you're
talking about different themes and topics and so
I wrote a lot. And I was like
a part of the position bubble in Russia,
because I got a lot of friends,
in different,
Russian
independent media at that moment. The person who
I
went through the university there, she's like the
main anchor and anchor woman
in this russian a position media. Something Gosh
independent media even now, they
abroad, but still doing journalism.
So, yeah, I was a part of these
people,
and
I just got this idea that... Yeah. I'm
so loud.
I'm I'm not that loud as a politician,
but I'm pretty loud to be, you know,
like, on the list.
So, yeah. It was like this. Did it...
Did you get contacted by someone that told
you to quiet down or was it an
idea
it was a mostly it was an idea.
And it was arrested twice because of peaceful
protests.
It wasn't like crucial. It wasn't like being
sent. To the jail and stuff like that,
but still,
you know, like, when you are running away
from the police,
which we are calling, you know, astronauts, like
cosmo nuts because, you know, like, they got
this huge ammunition,
and it's kind of scary. In the morning,
you could go go through the street with
a couple of water, during your, like, basic
life,
fancy life sometimes.
But in the evening, you could run away
from the police in the same street.
And it's kind of scary. I got this.
I got this
feeling steel in myself. And I saw, like,
a lot of crazy brutal and violent stuff
in Moscow streets, like,
like, women being heard by policeman
and, you know, like, being beaten by, you
know, like, there are sticks and stuff like
that.
It's completely different
experience,
you know, like, when you are watching something
on screen,
even knowing... Even in the,
even knowing that it's, like, real life, it's
something different when you see, you know, like
it's
just
just by yourself. Yeah. Yeah. That's what's... So
terrifying about here that there are...
Voice opinion saying,
oh, well, all all protest should be
illegal
that
all protests in Russia Illegal.
Even before the war started. They they... You
know, like,
the city authorities,
needed to approve the protest.
But, you know, like, they got a lot
of
different things that could cover, you know, like,
this
protest ban. Like,
Covid, you know, like policy. Like,
you didn't get enough, coverage or something like
that. I mean, like, they try to find
different reasons
to suppress the protest, and they
they was doing, you know, I grew well
in terms of that.
The police came to your mom's house?
Yeah.
It was actually off to my fleeing.
So when the war between Russian, Ukraine started,
I got, this idea that it could be,
you know, like,
danger for me, like, an actual threat.
Not like an idea.
And I fled the country after
it was, like, 1 week after the board
started.
And
it was March 20 22, and in November
20 22,
they came to my mom's place.
Like 8 times, they came for me and
try to find me to thread her a
bit
yeah. And
it was scary, but
she is not in danger.
And I'm not in danger because I'm not
in Russia, you know, anymore. How did you
get out? I I just bought my ticket?
Istanbul turkey. And I wasn't interrogated it on
the border,
but, you know, like, I tried to
to to mix
up, you know, like, some stories and stuff
like that. I just tell tell them that
I... I was like,
a fran kid who is going to
tour just to see the new Batman.
And I show them my socks with batman,
you know, like, and try to convince them,
and it was like good. I mean, like,
I was scared, but
It wasn't like,
they just checked my phone,
and I... Before that I deleted all all
the stuff that could, you know, like,
let's say that I'm, like,
big person for polish politics and stuff like
that. Yeah.
So I came to istanbul turkey with no
backup plan with duff back and 200 bucks.
And
I even got no place to stay that
night. It was like 1 of this scariest
day of my life. III
remember this day when I was sitting
at the starbucks
in Istanbul with really shitty deep coffee and
eating my oatmeal, which I brought with me
from Moscow. It was like a part of
my coping the honey, you know, like, this
full delivery. And I was eating this oatmeal,
I was drinking this drip coffee, and
then it was protein bar. As fires as
I remember,
and I was crying a lot because
you know, like,
my life
became so unclear.
And
it was like
my life was ruined in a day, and
I needed to rebuild it from scratch, and
I'm still doing this,
even after 3 years, you know,
Wow,
it's so brave.
Yeah. But sometimes,
you're just doing this. I I got this
idea that I need. Needed to do that.
I mean, I just know... I just don't
know why.
Just got this strong idea, a strong feeling
that it could be right, And that was
right. You know, like, no. I I could
be in prison or something.
Or dad?
Oh dad. Even even that or in or
even, you know, like, being in
in the var field or something like that.
Healing, you know, like, people from the other
country.
I'm curious what the overall
thoughts are of the people of Russia
toward
the politicians toward Putin. Is there
a sense of, I'm terrified. So I'm not
gonna say a word or this is bullshit
we have to do something.
Yeah.
Honestly,
we don't know. Because, you know, like,
in countries countries like Russia,
it's really scary to to be open publicly.
And when you're... We are getting this, like,
research
results, you know, like, like different,
you know, studies and stuff like that,
This study not so, you know, like, accurate
because a lot of people are just scared
to be, you know, like,
to to stick to their accounts,
you know, like, publicly,
openly.
And so now we just don't know
the percentage of the people who like against
the country. I mean, like the government. But
the point is that
before the war started. For sure, we got
this commitment. I mean, like, not the people
like me, but the whole country got this
commitment that
government should do politics,
and people should do their own lives.
Like, you know, it's like the separate things.
They are going to these selections to, you
know, like, to keep putting and power just
to be
safe and stable.
Just to be, you know, like, sure that
the next day would be like the previous
day.
And a lot of people still thinking like
this.
So it's tricky.
You'll never you'll never know, and you'll never
say something, you know, like, that could be
proof.
Yeah. I get that. Is the most of
Russia older? Or is there a lot of
gen z age people there? Gen z is
more like, is bolder or like bolder, You
know, like, each and every person, like, not
like all of us, but a lot of
people,
are so open minded. Because, you know, like,
our childhood and our education was connected to
western culture,
because to solve
we're, like so open to different
franchises. Phil franchises like,
animation Tv series. Like, just we were, like,
a part of this cultural,
western culture, you know.
That's why we are... You know, people were
seeing a lot of countries,
different ways of living.
And we were... We were not like Soviets,
which were, like, so
inside this country. Under this protection and stuff
like that. That's why we are so open
minded and
sorry a lot of people from my country
and from my age.
They are so open and they are definitely
against
to to Putin's policy.
Mh
But when we are talking about elderly,
they are still being washed by Propaganda.
Unfortunately, they are, you know, like, not that
bolt, not that, you know, like, conscious.
And they,
yeah. They... The their are mines are, like,
trash
unfortunately.
Yeah. They just... They're so used to a
certain way of being.
Yeah. For sure. And
and almost every family got the person like
this. My granny is like Bread washed, you
know?
And they... Credit. Did you say Bread and
divorced?
But brain divorced. Oh, brain wise. I thought
Bread divorced what grade? Oh my mom. I
to put it. Like, old school.
Have been awesome actually.
But no. Unfortunately, she's brain washed by by
propaganda
by... This thing that I were talking about
already. Yeah. We have a lot of that
in this country as well. I think they've
focused in on the elderly because
they
know that they can fill them with fear.
Older people are are afraid of a lot
of things?
Yeah. And there is another thing in Russia
for sentiment.
You know,
it's like
it's like a thing that
makes, you feel great about getting to your
roots getting to your history
and stuff like that, like, it's actually living
in your innocence or something?
Makes sense. And it's like a huge part
of
Russian government.
Like... Hey make Russia great again?
Something like that. Yeah.
Yeah.
But even more worse, you know, like, even
worse. I mean, like, it's like not
make russia great again, but, you know, like,
let's
Russia
stay
great Like,
forever and never or something like that. Yeah.
How
did you decide to take the leap then
to start making?
Film. I mean, it sounds like you're going
through a lot. Do you made the movies
in Russia. Correct?
No. My first 1 then was making Russia.
Okay. Alright. Let's actually back in 20 21,
and my second round, the par a strike,
I made it last summer in Berlin.
It it was tough, but as a person
from this, like, film community and being just
famous.
I could be trusted
by these people with some money, I was
pretty famous, and I
I wasn't supposed. To
disappear, you know, like,
with this money, and I got a lot
of connections
in this film industry, like, a lot of
friends or mine
were actors or different
production and costume designers and stuff like that,
and I started to
to, you know, like, get all the team
together,
and I just did that. Yeah. I got
this script. I got this person who trust
me. I got these people around, and it
just did that. Yeah. It's a beautiful film.
It's so well shot.
Thank you so much. And it was like,
really big thing for me and still is.
Because, you know, like, when you're filmmaker,
you need to be
exceptional in terms of your visual aspect. You
know, a visual aspect of your mortgage because
it's like your job. And I... I'm so
fascinated
with this stuff, you know, like, with this
filmmaker score, like,
you know, like, vision,
something like that. And
and, yeah.
Because of my journalism because of my fascination,
the cinema, I was watching a lot. I'm
still watching a lot. And
I got this, like, really huge your experience.
And sometimes you get something consciously, sometimes subconsciously,
but it's building your film identity.
Your taste,
your, like, great look or something like that.
Because, you know, I just can't process. I
just can't
can't get this ugly look
for movies. Even knowing that the movie could
be like, low budget Movie.
You could make
amazing things with no money.
Yeah. Yeah. It takes ingenuity. I know almost
feel like
My movie was low budget as well. And
I feel like it forces you into court.
So stylish with me. Yeah as well. Because,
you know, like, you you're just got this
idea that you need to find the perfect
location, good looking connectors. Good production design,
explicitly
allowed
effects. And something like that. And you only
just a film buff or something like that
you, you know this for sure.
Yeah. It's a it's a journey. What's your
plan? What... What's next?
I'm trying to develop 1 of this feature
that already wrote
wrote 2 features. And I got a lot
of ideas for different shirts. I'm, you know,
like I'm hustling to find this money.
I'm
applying to different
competition,
you know, like, incubator
and stuff like that, like different
a lot of studios got some problems
and stuff like that. Because, you know, like,
I need to be delete. I need to
be seen by people. I was... As I
told you, was pretty famous in Russia, but
there was nobody to the world.
And
at that moment, I needed to
establish my, you know, like, public image. And
I'm doing well, but still, it's so
slow process. Mh. And I'm trying to be,
like malt task king, like, doing each and
everything
simultaneously.
Because, you know, like, you never know each
of these projects, you know, like, could be
your first second or something like that or
1 connection could lead you to the other
connection, and this connection could work.
But the first 1 couldn't work out and
something like that. And so it's it's like
a game, and I'm trying to get the
rules of this game, but it's so tough
so hard and I'm so dark because of,
you know, like, these objective things around
but I'm still trying to grab this thing,
grab this, you know, like, idea that I'm
talented that I e.
I'm I'm really good direct fe because, you
know, I got this idea I that I
wasn't that well,
journalists or something.
You're a great journalist. I read that that
I put on my social media that you
wrote for the Hollywood reporter,
and I thought it was great. I mean,
you're clearly an excellent writer on top of
the other things. I'm curious. I think there
would be a market if you were to
write
about your experience there for here
I think people would definitely
read them.
Probably, But, you know, like, I'd rather the
bluetooth in my films. I get that. For
example, my second feature that you're already wrote,
it's about, you know, like, this personal
experience this, you know, like... Being immigrant and
facing American privileges
and facing
suicidal crisis,
crisis,
I'd rather put it in into my movies.
And I hope I could make it and
it could be marketable because, you know, like,
sometimes when you're, like,
I do know, like, at the same time
clear dark and stuff like that, you could
be...
It could be tricky.
You know, I to get money because you're
not bad kids, you're not bad, you know,
like, calm and you're not that.
You're not, creating the safe space for the
people with money,
but sometimes,
I just I just can
doing something else,
Yeah. I totally understand that. Your films are
dark, but
they're... The underlying what's going on, The the
true story of it. I mean, there's a
story that is the story being fed to
the consumer
that they're eating.
And then as they're eating it, 1 hopes
that they see that
the whole meal. There's way more going on.
And
in my opinion, at least, dead end, especially,
the part of the strike as well, but
dead end really to me
had such an intense
theme about,
judgment and
family and
expectation and self loa
so much going on. And
aside from him being
twisty and so beautiful in in that darkness.
And we're... We all have shadow,
Mh And it's... For us, the creative, I
think it's important. We have a such a
job to do
to remind people that, yes, you do have
these thoughts. This stuff does go on,
and it's okay to talk about it, and
it's okay to get it out because if
we don't and you shove it down,
Yeah.
What support living?
Exactly. Exactly. Thank you for this words. Yeah.
It's so important to
to put something
in the crowd minds. I don't know.
And
but for me, it was just way
way of talking to people. It was like,
I wanted to, you know, like, to tell
my story through this, like, horror
through this, you know, like, roller cost and
something like that. But it was, like, really
something really personal. That that was like my
personal experience of being afraid of my ex.
And
yeah. And also, it was, like, a part
of this
mis miscommunication in Russia because, you know, like,
we got a lot of parents that are
not supporting in terms of your, like,
identities,
different identities,
not only being queer but also being, you
know, like, sensitive,
being, like, being yourself.
Yeah.
That's why, you know, like, probably
that was like,
so intense. Mh.
As you know, like, there are so many
themes
but them I'm... I I I'm from the
country with, like, greatly
and a lot of, you know, like, metaphor
layers of this, you know, like,
ideas and stuff like that. And I just
wanted to, you know, like, to keep
this movement.
Yeah. So to stay in this field. And
I hope I will they'll do that, you
know, Like put my next films as well.
I don't doubt that at all. Yeah. But,
you know, like, we got a lot of
a lot of novel lists and boy
and, like, all of them are
you know, like, we're making
be beautiful art. And
Unfortunately,
we lost a lot of passion
last years, but still a lot of Russian
authors are really great
you know, like, even nowadays.
And now a lot of them are brought
and trying to keep doing art as well.
Yeah. Different fields. Like, we got a lot
of musicians abroad,
like, novel
like filmmakers. Like mh.
Yeah. Tell me about how you got through
your crisis.
I'm still getting for that.
I I do know. I'm I'm just trying
to
to do art. I'm just trying
writing.
I'm just trying
you know, like, filming something and
applying to different, you know, like, labs and
stuff like that's meeting
to the festivals going to the festivals,
meeting different amazing people are key.
And people
could make you stay alive.
Yeah.
And probably it's like our,
like, really good capital, you know, like,
really good value.
And
especially in this, you know, like, genre community,
each and every person as you saw actually.
Each and every person is so, like,
I do know like warm, kind,
nice, here, like, these people, the finest people
in the world,
because all of them are considering themselves as
outsiders.
And when you're an outsider, you're getting closer
to
that outsider. Right?
And,
you know, like, you need to be crazy
to do filmmaking,
especially genre filmmaking.
You need to to be so into it.
Just to stay here, just,
you know, like, not to quit.
Was beautifully said, what I love about horror
is
is how
layered it is.
How much is being said.
I mean, some people might go to the
movie and they just say, oh, slash or
somebody's dropping dead or whatnot. But there's... There's
so much to it saw is a great
example. The very first,
Yeah. For sure. And I kinda locate this
term elevated horror because, you know, A Cora
was elevated like,
every time,
you know, there is a book
called, oh my god.
It came from the closet, something like that.
And
it's about clear perspective on horror.
It's a bunch of essays from different queer
people.
But trans people like, gay people and stuff
like that. People like that. This
we're a little horror,
career take horror.
It's not about, you know, a special
special part of, you know, like, queer horror
or something like that. It's like,
take on, like, horror in general, like,
joss,
like,
like, you know, Carrie,
and films like this. And
I love this idea that
probably each and every horror movie god like
we are theme with them, you know? And
we could say
say that about, you know, like, each and
everything that, you know, like, under the third.
Like,
Jordan Pill,
like get out. It's about, you know, like,
right? Racism,
and it's about, you know, like,
a lot of things besides the being this
roller cost in the Sc field, you know.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
And and... That's the beauty of art. Music,
movies
poetry
is
again, the creative
is
saying or
showing something so that other people can come
and see themselves in it.
And find solace and find
connection and feel like
they're not alone. And I think that that
That's the best part of it. Yeah. Yeah.
Of course. When you're
in my position, like, going through this crisis
alone, like, I lost my friends family
and people around. And, you know, like, I
got no fields to hide.
I got this, you know, like,
film thing, like Horror.
And, you know, like, this horror world could
be, like the perfect safe space. Because, you
know, like, even being scary,
it's not as scary as a real world.
Yeah. Do you get to stay in contact
with your mom?
Yeah. For sure. We are calling each other
each and every day, probably.
And, yeah,
we're trying to,
you know ice. Stay close even being far
in that company.
Yeah. Yeah.
Tell people how they might find you.
Yeah. I got my Instagram
account,
Paul is this is me, you know, like,
Dino Barge, and
also, I got my Twitter,
and
it it would be secret saint
on Twitter. Yep. So I'm pretty pretty open
to be reached out, you know? Yeah. Absolutely.
And I'll put links on hey human podcast
dot com. Thank you so much for spending
some time with me and talking about your
story.
Yeah. Thank you for having me. Thank you
for, you know, your your time and this
opportunity you know, like, it's so so important
to share
the story like mine.
It's not like as my situation
at all. It's like
the thing that
the world right now,
is
is ruining.
The world is not the best place right
now. But all of this works like
Ukraine, like Taiwan, like Palestine,
like a lot of things. And, like American
policy
right now, by politics. I mean, because, you
know, like, I couldn't even imagine that I
could end up as a refugee live boat.
When I was, like,
person in Moscow,
4 or 5 years ago,
for me, being a refugee, it's like being
a person from Africa or something like that,
or
Iran.
But, you know, like, when you got this
request for privileges,
you got this almost
Phd
behind.
And you're
ending up as a are huge,
it's kinda
wow experience.
Yeah.
Sometimes people just
need to think about this more.
I agree. I, it's...
Frustrating
the rhetoric around
political refugee, war torn refugee,
the people that are coming into the country,
any country for that matter. I mean, they
they like to... The rhetoric likes to concentrate
it on the, oh, it's all criminals. No.
It's stuck and nurses and
psychiatrists and pharmacists and
teachers and
writers and beautiful interest staying creative humans.
Oh, sure. And, you know, sometimes when you
just
speaking more than 1 languages.
You just couldn't be considered as a refugee
or, you know, like, person in in danger
or something like that.
They... These people, you know, like, on social
media,
just
or, like, public image, and you're gonna, like,
that you are, like, fancy person still. But
we are going through, yeah, you know, a
dark shared where, you know, this migration system
with this paperwork with this, you know, like,
apartment
looking or something like that. And,
yeah.
Yes.
This this way of cleaning is kinda tricky.
Yeah.
Yeah. You're doing really well. I know it's
hard.
I can only imagine
what it is to go through it. But
you've got a friend of me so
So much. And, like, what I really appreciate
that. Because, you know, like, as I told
you, people,
it's like our main value.
Yeah.
It takes all of us in my humble
opinion. And I'm excited because you're gonna come
meet some really cool people on Thursday.
I hope so. Hope. Yeah. Yeah. I
so Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you so much.
You might I really appreciate it, and thank
you for listening everybody. Thank you so much.
Yeah. Thank you. Bye bye.
Great review and subscribe to hey human podcast
on itunes or wherever you get your podcast
Thanks. Bye.