Pink for documentary filmmakers

Andrei Raikin is a teacher with half a century of experience. The figure is as frightening as it is proud. Only the teacher is proud, rather than years of work, but their results. Therefore, the celebration was held without a feast and orchestra (the saxophone, however, was), but with the best films of his students - documentary directors and novice players.

Although the word “best” from the mouth of Andrei Maksovich did not sound, he modestly called the tapes “worthy of attention.” About his role in the lives of their authors, the anniversary also spoke casually: “At the beginning of their creative and professional path, I, figuratively speaking, gave a kick, and they flew in the right direction.” So we observed the consequences of this kick, not assessing the technique of the punch, but the creative flight that followed.

The modesty of the Master was compensated by his students, who did not skimp on compliments. A few people were able to come - kicked them all over the globe: they went to video communication from Indonesia, France, the United States and Canada. In the appeals, the mentor was thanked not only for the obvious - transferred skills, but also for deeply personal wishes. Thus, Elizaveta Chebotareva remembered the words of Andrei Maksovich at the first internship: “You will go to Europe and make films” – he instilled in the girl a dream that later came true. Marina Levina said that the ability to communicate with people and love for them in general is also the merit of her teacher. And Victoria Korchikova-Malovichko thanked for the support - Raikin saw in her the makings of a documentary director and supported, arguing it with the good old phrase: "Talents need help, mediocrity will get through themselves.".

Documentaries made films on all kinds of topics. In the chronicle of the life of Morocco tells about the aspirations of ordinary people: the desire to move to another country and, on the contrary, a sincere love for their home. In the film about an elderly woman, she tells the story of what her daughter faced after her mother’s illness, and how music changed the situation. The film “When People Die, Sing Songs” won international prizes. And the story of the Sister of Mercy shows what it is like to care for the seriously ill, often without receiving gratitude from them. The poet Lidia Grigorieva talks about her creative path and life, and also recalls the World Congress of Poets, where she was invited to bypass the Writers’ Union. A variety of themes, it seems, unites one cross-cutting motive: a person’s search for his place in the world, his happiness.

After cutting from fragments of different films, the premiere of the short debut of Anastasia Pavlova took place at the evening. Andrei Raikin admits that he has nothing to do with the film itself, and Anastasia disputes this. It was Raikin who once not only awarded her a diploma, but also helped to form an artistic taste - for many years they work side by side, and Andrei Maksovich is always happy to share his advice. And here in the first short film of Anastasia starred three people’s artists: Evgeny Mironov, Dmitry Kharatyan and Viktor Rakov. Such a class of artists will not appear in anything.

At the end of the evening, all the students came to the stage for a group photo. People came out so much that to find the anniversary in the picture is a task with an asterisk. This is not surprising, because from the very beginning Andrei Maksovich said: “This evening is not dedicated to me.” It was dedicated to his students - they, like the heroes of their paintings, were looking for their place in the world. And the teacher helped in that search - sometimes you just need a good kick