Vladimir Zelensky says only light about the WHC calls on the example of the Americans to rejoice in others ‘ successes, not envious, does not see himself in politics but considers it a duty to speak out on all burning issues that the politicians were not so sweet in their “cozy cells.” The permanent artistic Director and leader of the Studio “Quarter-95”, actor, writer and producer Vladimir Zelensky gave an interview to the portal Delfi, during a tour in Jurmala.
Last year around those days the production company of Vladimir Zelensky landed in Latvia a powerful art-troopers that four days were lit in Riga and Jurmala in the framework of the festival Made in Ukraina — was a free promotional concert at the Riga town hall square, and “wonderful fuck of music and humor in the hall “Dzintari” are the main stars of the Ukrainian stage of Ukrainian ethnic fair with tastings of the soup-dumplings-vodka and trade embroideries with molded pots. And of course, a night out under the motto “Good Latvian Jogging naked”. The case was seen as a success and worthy of repetition. Even though, according to Zelensky, to payback the festival is still far away: “But we are willing to invest in such a thing!”
Demonstrated at home, the TV version of the festival has caused a lot of outraged responses in social networks: many people do not like that “Quarter 95” dare abroad to compare Ukraine with the “actress of the German adult films” and diplomatic activity of President Poroshenko with begging. Some politicians and journalists called the speech “a public humiliation of Ukraine in the eyes of foreigners”.
This year Vladimir Zelensky said on national television of Ukraine, which began working with a tutor to improve your “language society”, but in Jurmala team played in Russian, and burned, not being very cautious (“Turn it into hell, this peaceful family-run resort”, “We got bezviz — Hooray! Tomorrow will get a tranche from Europe and the… going to Europe to thump for their money”). However, the scope of Jurmala “wonderful copulation” shrank to two concerts — “Quarter 95” and Tina Karol. At the end of the event hall, the choir sang a song about Ukraine. And how Zelensky wrote in his instagram: “We work!! Love us! Ukraine respect!”
Delfi.lv: In 2001 and 2002, the team of “Quarter-95” has received at the Jurmala festival of KVN the second main prize — “Kivin in light.” What would you remember those days?
Vladimir Zelensky: it was a Wonderful festival! I remember I played Zemfira in leather tight pants. This was our first abroad, awesome music nights, warm audience (we were afraid the cold of the Baltic), romance (for the next year Vladimir married one of the authors of team Helena — approx. Ed.) youth… Remember only light! Since always food in Jurmala with great pleasure.
But it was after receiving the “Kivin in light” your team has left the University and stopped going to Jurmala.
Yes. But it’s like in sports: you go, and then there comes a time when becoming closely in the framework — people are moving to a new stage. You get older, your humor is different, the thumbnails are already small (no offense) — you want not only to compete in iskrometno and to think in terms of funny-not funny as well — what I mean. KVN it is not provided.
— That is, there was no conflict?
Was. The team from Ukraine in the big KVN has never been easy. The more that we were assigned a mission to represent the country, and we were not the capital team — we’re Hicks from the city of Krivoy Rog. Here you are — the residents, and we Krivine (in Ukrainian town called Krivi RH approx. Ed)… In the end I offered to leave their children and become officers of the company Maslyakov. I couldn’t do it, though, from the big business my decision was hard to understand. That’s the whole conflict.
— This year you did not hold the second festival Made in Ukraina, which was so loud launched in the past. Now you are limited to two concerts — your and Tina Karol. Why?
— Big festival — not a cheap pleasure. I really wanted to continue, but there was some long history with dates — we could not offer suitable: here’s a mess, it’s closed, here — their festivals… it seemed to Me that the local people need to meet, to support, to understand that it is still difficult to sustain pricing in the Eurozone. In General, the festival has not disappeared, just this year we are meeting in Odessa, which we also love very dearly.
— That is counted — to tears?
Exactly. Shed a tear, but the topic is not closed. We’ll talk with local representatives about next year — will be more loyal to the conditions, back.
— Recently in Latvia, a Festival of communication “Lamp”, which discussed the theme “Latvian”. Could you define what Ukrainian?
— New word for me. That, and the dictionary is there? Of course, each nation has its own mental characteristics. People in Ukraine are very friendly and warm, quickly fall in love…
— For how long?
— In the us for a long time! We also hospitable, as the Georgians. And extremely free-spirited. It is clear for all historical events. We also are very simple — someone even calls it japanimation. To me the compatriots in any country can easily and a long, knock on the shoulder, “Oh, Vova, how are you?!” And I have no idea who that is… But in General, Ukraine — it is big and everywhere are all different. In Kiev, in Krivoy Rog — commercials, and in Odessa — all Odessans live…
— There are of quality that the Ukrainians would like to get rid of, and for you to ridicule?
Today, I think, all people would do well to get rid of envy. Learn to enjoy and respect the success of others, using them as a reference for their growth. For example, in America it is very difficult to stay long…
— Envy all begin?
— And this, too. But they have this quality — they are always happy of others ‘ success, to respect a man who has achieved something. I was even confused about themselves. Though it is good quality to go up. I wish to Ukrainians belonged to someone else’s success. I think most people in the former Soviet Union there is such a mental injury, as a lack of faith in yourself, in your strength and success. And as soon as people had the opportunity to go where better — they do it. Go to the country — it’s safer in this — there is better education, the other — there’s more to pay… this is All true, but maybe it should be easy to understand their disadvantages, to believe in themselves and to make their country a cool.
— After the recent abolition of visas for Ukrainians is particularly easy to move somewhere better. Can I ask about those who are driving has become much harder?
Let’s do it!
Singer Lolita Milyavskaya year ago in an interview with Delfi admitted in tender love for Ukraine in General and Lviv with Kiev in particular. This year it was not allowed to see my daughter in Kiev, but even after that, she in an interview with Delfi again spoke only good about Ukraine. The Lolita comes in Jurmala festival Laima Vaikule — you say Hello if you meet at Joma?
— I think that she will not approach me. The majority of the Russian colleagues has ceased to communicate with us — they made this decision. In Jurmala, I did not meet — they seem to pass us by, fearing for our Pro-Ukrainian position. But if fit, then there is a certain level of intelligence: if you say Hello — we must say Hello if you are served hand — feeding in response. First of all, people should be treated as people. In complex cases just don’t go to political aspects in the conversation. There are different points of view. Alas, we don’t always know how to respect each other.
— Overall, what do you think about “black lists” of Ukraine — against people, movies, languages? For example, my mother in law would not much like it if someone decided for her, to watch her or not watch beloved “Matchmakers“…
— I have always been against bans. And the more I do not like that policy bans touched artists. It is nonsense! But as soon as the artist becomes the actor, and politician, Deputy of the state Duma, and the like — he immediately ceases to be an artist. Is a politician who can sing, act in films, playing in theatre, etc. That’s another category.
— For example, actor and Director Nikita Mikhalkov, who already was President of Russia, and now met again — who is he?
I think a politician. Nobody argues about his acting talents — “I step through Moscow”, “among strangers”… But today he is a politician, whose political views in Ukraine do not coincide with those that divide people in our country. Respectively, and his acting work is already sensitive in Ukraine…
In my opinion, once an artist turns into a policy, it may be subjected to sanctions. What? I always thought that the worst sanction for an artist — when he came on the scene and saw that people didn’t come. What could be stronger? But there is such a time as the statutory violation. If an artist has violated the law of Ukraine about the Crimea — there’s nothing you can do about it. The law may like or dislike, but not to execute it. And if you make a decision contrary to the law — go to the Crimea and they say there is, finally, Crimea is ours — you know how it ends. You made your choice, and the other side has the right to make your choice.
I’ve always said, two people carry the third wins. In my opinion, it is better that the artists remain artists, and politicians — politicians…
You are also not that very very far from the political life of the country. The President of Ukraine played a spectacular speech moved…
Well, I played! Still, I’m an artist — I like it.
— Serduchka also played-played — and went into politics… You consider this development?
— Serduchka was-was — was not reached. I such have not yet considered.
— Recently did an interview with the Deputy head of the OSCE monitoring mission in Eastern Ukraine, Alexander Hug, who told me that this year in the war were killed by 120% more civilians than the same period last. Meanwhile, in the center of Ukraine held “Eurovision” festival Made in Ukraina. There is a feeling that these realities somehow contradict each other?
In Kiev Studio of the Crimean Tatar TV channel — I know these guys, who no longer have their land. They do serious news, but, in addition, come to us, they had also entertainment, humor, music, because their people in Crimea and in Kiev — are in the doldrums. They want to hear their position, but don’t want to give up on life. In times of hostilities, the artists went everywhere and raised the spirits of the people. This is normal. Their life is now — it cannot be postponed. And if you wait until everywhere there will be peace, and it is impossible to give birth?! We must try in my head to separate the war and life. Give life — live it with dignity, regardless of profession.
— Last year the leader of the Ukrainian “League of laughter” Andrew Chepurin told in an interview to Delfi the unofficial ban to make fun of Nadiya Savchenko while she’s in prison, promised, when she came out great. What “sacred cows” today?
Great! Over Savchenko we are actively joking. “Sacred cows,” no, because we are not joking over people, and over the things that these people in their positions do what they’ve done. Throughout the civilized world (I do not take some nearby country where it is impossible some names to even mention) making fun of all politicians of the highest rank. And the objects of jokes readily come in different TV shows. The same Jimmy Fallon could easily deconstruct the hairstyle Trump. This is normal.
— Who you are now is the most ridiculous politician?
— Those who have the highest rating of recognition: Poroshenko, Tymoshenko, Yanukovych is still in the top, Savchenko love Potentate…
— In your country today is undergoing a historical event. You feel your mission in this?
— I think we are not determining his place in history. Everyone just needs to adequately do his job in his place. To me surgery is no less than I, star. In all there are its blunders, but it is expensive my will. It is important that in the first place it was your business, not political. For example, we do a cassette, in which expounded his vision, and then sell it, rather than doing it under someone’s order.
It seems to me that in the future the people of Ukraine will not evaluate how accurately your visual acuity has hit the bull’s eye, and then, as you yourself in his place took when I was tempted to adapt and capitalize on this. What citizen of the country in his place you were and how you in any situation remain human.
— There is a difference, how you were on stage until 2014 and beyond?
— Of course! There are many painful things connected with the war — his stance on Crimea and Donetsk we do not hide and do not change. It is in our creativity. It is strongly egged our politicians — I know that to them our messages reach. And that’s good because people should not live in a vacuum, in their cozy cells, in their comfortable positions. So the right way to live.
