CIFF: Hipsters / Nighttown
Details
Hipsters (Stilyagi) Boogie Bones (USA) (festival title)
34th Cleveland International Film Festival
Wednesday, March 24th at 7:15 p.m. – Cedar Lee Theater (https://www.clevelandcinemas.com)
country: Russia 2008
genre: Drama, Musical, Romance
Color, 125 minutes
Russian with English subtitles
director: Valery Todorovsky
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A smash success in Russia and winner of top NIKA Awards including Best Film, Best Sound, Best Art Design, and Best Costume Design, Hipsters is a candy-colored musical set in the drab Soviet Union of the 1950s. More political than Hairspray, and way cooler than High School Musical, it inspired a wave of Hipster parties across Russia. The movie sets to music the story of a strait-laced young Communist party member named Mels. In the midst of a raid on a group of kids caught wearing American-style clothes and listening to jazz, he's smitten with an adorable Hipster named Polly, who sports bright red lipstick and a poodle skirt. Casting caution and his gray uniform to the wind, the newly christened "Mels" barters on the street for a saxophone and a snappy checkered suit with huge lapels, and soon he's cultivating an awe-inspiring pompadour. But as the Hipsters face growing up in Cold War society, they realize that life isn't always a song and dance. – BB (CIFF)
Hipsters Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hipsters-StilyagiStilagi/196026013146?v=wall)
Synopsis - Review
Hipsters On Pop Candy Arcade (https://popcandyarcade.blogspot.com/2009/10/review-hipsters-stilyagi.html)
According to Hipsters director Valeiry Todorovskiy, musicals aren't so big in Russia. In fact, it might be safe to say that his film is the first real successful attempt. Hipsters deals with the Stilyagi, young people who defied Soviet communist rule in the 1950's by adopting an idealized American style. They peacock in pompadours and brightly colored mismatched threads against a sea of drab grays, getting Charlie Parker albums on the black market and having raucous parties where the liquor flows and so does the free love. The film was a solid hit in its home country (where its title is Stilyagi) last year, and has been making the rounds at international film festivals this year, hoping to be picked up for North American distribution.
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The film follows Mels (Anton Shagin), a university student whose life is a series of communist activities. His idea of an eventful evening is assisting in raiding hipster parties, catching dissidents while repressed leader Katya (Evgeniya Khirivskaya) cuts at their fancy duds with a pair of scissors. Then he meets the lovely Polina (Oksana Akinshina), a pretty young thing who outsmarts him and introduces him to the charms of freewheeling and fetishized Americana. Soon, Mels is 'Mel', he's learning the saxophone, partying on 'Broadway' with 'Polly', 'Fred', 'Bob' and the gang, taking dance lessons and shaking off bystanders who claim he's a traitor.
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Hipsters is at heart a feel good movie that triumphs individualism. In this respect, it's a crowd pleaser and sure to strike a cord with American audiences. It's vibrant, endearing, consistently upbeat, and beautifully filmed all while casting a critical glance at Russia's relatively recent political past. Todorovskiy is making a profound statement in casting these misfits as heroes. In fact, following the movie's presentation at the Chicago International Film Festival he suggested that within Russia the population is still holding itself back. The people don't want to be free, they suffer from a certain amount of self-oppression. In effect, the Stilyagi still have much to teach Russia about dancing to its own rhythm. It's a rather beautiful thought, and seemed to resonate with an audience primarily of excited Russian ex-pats, including a 75-year old woman who congratulated Todorovskiy on an accurate presentation of her own girlhood.
Yet, I'm not so sure the film will resonate with a general English-speaking audience. Its spirit is infectious, this much is true. And there's no doubt it's cinematographically sparkling and the musical numbers are fun to watch...but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was getting lost in translation. The plot is a little uneven, failing to give certain characters a fair amount of characterization while hinting at the back story of others. Several plot lines don't feel effectively wrapped up by the films conclusion. Without revealing any spoilers, there's a hopeful song sequence at the end that's tainted by a handful of unfortunate events and the revealing of unexpected information. Plus, admittedly, there's always something about reading subtitled forced rhymes while listening to a song that can't quite reconcile itself in my mind. Yet... Hipsters is fun. Jumpy, yes, but fun. It's likable. And sometimes likability outweighs a little bit of logic. It feels like the most saccharine elements of Cry-Baby met the underdog gravitas of Slumdog Millionaire and had a little Soviet lovechild. – Wilde.Dash
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Before the Movie
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5 to 6:45 p.m. – Private Reception at Nighttown for Ticket Holders Only!
The evening will begin with a pre-film reception starting at 5 p.m. at Nighttown, 12387 Cedar Road, 216.795.0550. Free parking (tonight only) is available in the rear. enter off Cedar just west of the club.
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7:15 p.m. the Movie - Hipsters
Cleveland Cinemas - Cedar Lee Theater (https://www.clevelandcinemas.com), 2163 Lee Road and Cedar, Cleveland Heights. Arrive very early and mingle with the crowd. Ticket holders will queue up by film about 30 minutes before showtime.
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PARKING: Paid Parking is now 24 X 7, so bring a couple of quarters. Credit cards work in the garage. At times the line to pay can delay your arrival. A free parking lot is on Edgewood Road at Cedar, one block west of Lee Road.
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Dinner at Nighttown (https://www.nighttowncleveland.com) – 9:30 p.m. after film.
After the film we’ll head back to Nighttown for discussion, drinks and perhaps a late dinner. They’ll have special menu pricing and, hopefully, jazz. Nighttown is named after the Dublin Red-Light district in James Joyce’s novel Ulysses. It offers the ambiance of Irish pubs and turn-of-the-century New York bars and the food is great.
Please let us know your dinner plans on your RSVP so that we can either save you a seat at the "Movie Group" table or plan to meet you at the movie. We have asked for separate checks but please bring cash to pay for your meal.
This group has been successful partly because members have a genuine interest in meeting fellow independent movie goers for a discussion before or after the film. We don't always know where to look for you, especially those without a profile picture and first timers. It’s very important to RSVP early and cancel your dinner reservations if you can’t attend. Please be respectful of the Organizers and the Restaurants we patronize.
Festival Information
Due to the large crowds at the Festival, it is advisable to arrive early. It would be prudent to allow at least 30 minutes for parking and getting a good spot in front of the queue for your selected film. Expect delays and large numbers of moviegoers. You will meet people from around the country who fly in just for this event.
Thanks to the generosity of CIFF Executive Director Marcie Goodman, members of the Independent Movie Group will have a special discount of $2 on ticket purchases. Use the discount code: INDIE1. Full details are posted in the Files section of our web site. Please note that organizers cannot answer any questions not addressed in this posting. Direct all inquiries to the CIFF numbers listed.
A word of practical advice regarding the CIFF: If possible, purchase tickets as far in advance as possible. Many of the screenings will go to stand-by quickly after they are opened to the public on March 5th. Also, get to the Theater early so that you will get a spot at the front of the ticket holder line and thereby the prime seats in the show. It is always possible to go to Cedar Lee and purchase a stand-by ticket before the show if necessary. However, this is not recommended, as it is something like flying on stand-by. There are no guarantees and you’ll be corralled into a queue for an hour or more before the show. This is not fun.
Please try to avoid stand-by at all costs.
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CIFF: Hipsters / Nighttown