Set in newly independent Belarus in the mid-90s, Crystal Swanfollows Velya, a law graduate turned DJ as she desperately tries to emigrate to America. A black sheep in her native land, Velya dreams of freedom and the famous house music scene in Chicago, but standing in her way is the bureaucratic American immigration process. With a caustic and skilful blend of humor and tragedy, Darya Zhuk manages to provide both sincerity and hilarity in this unique (anti-)homage to Belarus and to those who refuse to conform.
From the outset, Velya is posited as an outsider. She is able to see past the rhetoric of others in pursuit of freedom and individuality, and even dons a vibrant blue wig at work that makes her stand out from the crowd. We see her DJing at a nightclub populated by old statues of Lenin et al that serves to remind us of the not-so-distant history of Belarussian politics – a spectre of the past and its politics that haunts the film, permeating all aspects of Velya’s life. Her overbearing mother can be seen as a metaphor for the oppressive ‘motherland’ of Belarus which Velya feels suffocated by. However, we are given glimpses of protests throughout the narrative which provides a latent sense of unrest paralleling Velya’s own personal desire for freedom. In order to break free from the clutches of her homeland and her mother, Velya undertakes a grand act of forgery which leads her to a remote village and a dysfunctional family in the throes of wedding preparation, into which she becomes disastrously involved.
Shot in ‘academy ratio’ with a lurid 90s colour palette, the style of the film enhances both its retro quality and elements of surrealism provided in part by its humor. While it can, at times, seem bleak and unforgiving – much like the setting itself – the film is well balanced, with vivid and beautiful cinematography, absurd humor, and a banging house music soundtrack to boot.
Crystal Swan is playing on May 24th at 9:00pm at Lincoln Square Cinemas, May 31st at 8:30pm at SIFF Uptown, and June 1st at 2:30pm at SIFF Uptown. Screenwriter Helga Landauer scheduled to attend the 5/31 and 6/1 screenings.