Duration: 1 hour
Language: Russian (English subtitles)
Genre: Romantic drama
“Placebo” is only an hour long, but is well-made, although the subtitles
are at times a bit confusing. It is still worth viewing, though, as a good
example of modern Russian cinema. (Review by Barry Meehan)
Placebo features on this year’s Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) 2021 which is being screened virtually from Thursday July 22 until Sunday August 1, 2021.
Ilnara is a student artist with a vision for her future. Her art teacher is a great admirer of her work – so much so that she wants to surprise her husband with a special artwork, and trusts Ilnara to paint one for her.
The end of the academic year is almost upon them, and an exhibition looms, which will assure the future of several students whose work is to be featured by the gallery owner, Karim, a one-time artist himself, who has very specific ideas about how students should portray their artistic vision, tailoring such to the demands and vagaries of the art market, rather than retaining their originality.
This same concept is propounded by Ilnara’s teacher, who tells her “sometimes it’s better to show the world not your work, not the way you are, but a kind of …. placebo …. a forgery of the reality.” Ilnara obviously doesn’t want to give up her personal original ideas, but has to consider all her options if she is to make it as an artist.
To make matters worse, she is due to get married in the near future and her husband-to-be, a Russian Army Officer, is pressuring her to give up her art, so that she can be a dutiful wife as per his religion, which suggests that wives should not work at all. The fiancé, Amir, cannot understand her immersing herself in her art, virtually ignoring him during her periods of creativity. It all becomes too much for Ilnara, especially after the gallery owner, Karim, threatens her with the artistic wilderness if she doesn’t adapt her work to the desires of his clientele, and she breaks off the engagement.
Amir visits his imam to inform him that the engagement is over, but the imam tries to talk some sense into him, wondering if Amir has sincerely thought about why she is painting. She obviously has a passion for it, and what would she be without that passion? Would Amir still love her, and how would she react to a life without her art? Resentment would probably creep in, leaving her unfulfilled, even with a household full of children.
The story continues with Amir going on Army manoeuvres, and Ilnara making a stand at Karim’s gallery, not displaying any of her paintings as she doesn’t want to give up something that defines her, standing instead in front of a blank wall space. Karim is furious, but the victory goes to Ilnara. She is then counselled by her art teacher, who relates the rocky start she had with her own husband, before he started to appreciate her talents and love of the creative process. Amir, in the meantime, comes to his own realisation after interacting with a young girl and her father, both of whom have a message relevant to the situation.
Placebo is only an hour long, but is well-made, although the subtitles are at times a bit confusing. It is still worth viewing, though, as a good example of modern Russian cinema. – Barry Meehan
For more information on the Durban International Film Festival visit https://ccadiff.ukzn.ac.za/
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