Marina Zavolock

Prof. Gillespie

RU 385

February 28, 2004

Chechnya and Russia: The Marriage of Two Cultures

Sergei Bodrov’s Prisoner of the Mountains, well-scripted and brilliantly acted, is a telling representation of the absurdity of war. In specific, Bodrov allows an unbiased perspective into both sides of the war between Chechnya and Russia, which has been raging since the mid-18^th century. The death, inner-turmoil, and confusion created by the war are clear to any lay observer. However, upon a more critical examination, we can come to understand Bodrov’s main characters as the allegorical representations of two different times and two contrasting cultures. When seen from this angle, the development of a strong bond between Dina, a young Chechen, and Vanya, an inexperienced Russian POW, comes to signify more than just a possible romance, it come to signify the possibility of peace and stability brought about through new generations.

We first meet Vanya, in the opening scene as the camera gives us a direct close-up of him getting his eyes checked. "Fit to serve" says the examiner. The camera then tracks him from behind as he moves towards his next series of tests. He is completely naked and unadorned, fresh and innocent. Thus, his eyes are ready to see the world from an unbiased point of view; he is a clean slate which the war will soon mold. Later on, when his troop is ambushed, Vanya furthers this innocence by being unable to shoot. In the impending chaos we only see a quick cut to Vanya as he is kneeling behind a bush, covering his ears. In fact, Vanya does not kill anyone throughout the entire film. The killing is left to Sasha, the more adept, older, soviet generation.

It is after the ambush, when Vanya and Sasha are taken as prisoners by the Chechens, that we meet the youthful Dina, daughter of the soldiers’ captor Abdul. Dina represents the new Chechen generation. She is strong-willed and wise beyond her twelve years. She is tough, yet not completely closed off. We see her hang around the very members of the group which has imprisoned her brother, killed many of her fellow Chechens, and torn apart her society. She is drawn to Vanya, even though she knows that he will soon either be killed or traded. Still she is curious and open to the new just as Vanya is. Her innocence is highlighted by the asynchronous sound of children’s voices throughout the movie.

Through the film the relationship between Dina and Vanya gradually grows. At first we catch them only exchanging looks, but gradually Dina edges closer. As Vanya greets her with smiles and even a gift, a wooden bird, she begins to attach herself to the enemy. The intimacy with which these two characters bond is ingrained into our hearts by the way in which the camera allows us to see it. We see it from the eyes of Dina and Vanya as they interact. The use of this alternating subjective camera technique allows us to feel the deep bond developing. The close-ups of the reaction shots allow us to feel the closeness of their situation.

Despite the strong connection between Vanya and Dina, Dina knows "I am not allowed to marry you." She knows that they come from two different and warring cultures. Even though these cultures cannot "marry" they can begin to reconcile the past as new generations feel increased distance from the original sources of the war. Both Dina and Vanya sacrifice something for the other. Dina sacrifices her reputation in the village as she sets Vanya free, and Vanya his life, as he doesn’t run away when set free for he knows that Dina would never be forgiven. Even though we don’t see a continual relationship in this generation, Bodrov’s film opens up the possibility of one to come as time breaks the chains of hatred and war.