Melancholian 3 huonetta

original title:
Melancholian 3 huonetta
other titles:
(Die 3 Räume der Melancholie)
country / year of production:
Finland , Germany , Denmark , Sweden / 2004
original length:
104 min. , color
premiere:
I: 8 September 2004, Venice Film Festival
genre:
Documentary
based on:
director:
Pirjo Honkasalo
film script:
Pirjo Honkasalo
producer:
Kristiina Pervilä , Pirjo Honkasalo
cinematographer:
Pirjo Honkasalo
editor:
Nils Pagh Andersen , Pirjo Honkasalo
composer:
Sanna Salmenkallio
cast (role):
more:
plot synopsis:
The background of this film is the long-lasting war in Chechnya. Children's life is coined by hatred, despair and sadness and they assume these feelings from their parents.
On Kronstadt, an island near St. Petersburg, the Russian president Putin founded a military school for orphans. The boys between nine and 14 are trained to be children soldiers whose imaginary enemies are the Chechnyans.
In Ingutschetia there live 63 orphans with Xhadizhat Gataeva who wants to be a mother for them. She saved most of them from the ruins of Grosny. Most of thechildren's parents were killed by the Russians.Xhadizhar herself was raised in an orphanage in Grosny.
The continuing war has formed certain concepts of the enemy that the children internalise.
keywords:
children , child soldier , assassination , war-disabled
war:
Chechnya Wars (1994-1996, 1999-2009)
literature:
Susanne Scholl. Zu wissen, dass du noch lebst. Kinder aus Tschetschenien erzählen. Berlin: Aufbau-Tachenbuch-Verl., 2006.

Sandra Schumann. Tschetschenien - Die Veränderung einer Gesellschaft durch Krieg. Saarbrücken: VDM Verl. Müller, 2007.
remarks:
Won Amnesty International - DOEN Award at the Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival in 2004.

The documentary and its director were awarded several times.

The Grosny chapter "Breathing" was shot in black and white with a hidden digital camera. Chechen authorities cancelled the already granted permission after September 11th, 2001, und denied any foreigner access to the region.
Honkasalo uses long, calm shots and concentrates on the faces of the children for most of the time. A quiet film that shows how the spirale of violence is turned further from generation to generation.
availability: