“COMA” Interview with Daniil Kolotov

In 2019, Daniil Kolotov’s short film “Coma” was selected for the main competition of the French festival 7ème Lune, Festival International des jeunes cinéastes.

The festival organizers interviewed the film’s director, screenwriter and lead actor, Daniil Kolotov, about the story behind the film, its duality, and the combination of the dreamlike world of fantasies with our reality.

(English version of the interview)

What is your personal path to the realization of Coma and in which context was it made?

I would like it to be. So, I got the idea of making a film, which could consider the characters I was honoured to play in theatre and my own experience. In addition, I met a girl, which changed me and my life forever. It was a very special thing, because I faced love. So, I wanted to capture all these feelings together in one autobiographical film.

I was on my 3rd course of acting workshop in St.Petersburg State Institute of Film & Television. We were working on two plays – “The Snow Maiden” by A. Ostrovsky and “Peer Gynt” by H. Ibsen, where I played the main roles. While rehearsing these roles, I got the opportunity to look deep inside myself and face my own feelings. At one moment I realised that these characters matched my being at a current period. But playing these roles on a scene was not so personal

We have the feeling that the main character collects the sorrows of his relatives and his environment before being able to feel and express his own. How did you construct the writing of the film? What was the starting point?

Yes, that’s true! Throughout the story, the main character is facing with sincere feelings of his friends and relatives, which inspire him to start bravely facing his own. He fights with his “shell”, which has covered him from real worries and cares for the whole life.

Every monologue in the film is real. These are the monologues I heard while talking with the young people, the Z generation, 20-something year old friends of mine. The starting point was the idea of a person, who meets the fundamental feeling of love.

The black and white, the despair of the characters and the darkness of the subject are counterbalanced by an impressive energy and dynamism of the “mise en scène”. Can you tell us about this ambivalence which is the strength and beauty of the film?

From the very beginning I knew that the film will be made black and white. It was inspired by St.Petersburg, I saw the city in black and white shades. Actually I was born in Siberia and when I visited Saint Petersburg for the first time – I fell in love with this place. Constantly grey skies, gothic and “dark” architecture… I wasn’t used to the energy of big cities like this, it was totally overwhelming… I wanted to show the contrast of a dark city and it’s crazy tempo. Especially when you’re young, the flow of life feels super strongly, I wanted to catch it.

How do you see contemporary Russian cinema, which meets with success in France and in international festivals?

In my opinion, Russian cinematography has to open up its cultural code. There is a tendency in Russia, that filmmakers are often trying to pursue the Hollywood way of making films. But things are not working this way. There is nothing good while you are trying to copy others, with their own culture and path.

According to Russian films which succeed at international festivals, it is super important to talk about us. About our culture and things that are close to us – russian people. To explore the sides of our country and our identity. As it was made by the great russian literature, drama and theatre. The most important, I guess, is to talk about ourselves and people surrounding us. This is the only thing we know better than anyone else. I know that success is where the truth and sincerity is. This is our opportunity and we need to share it with the world.

Are you working on other projects?

Yes, this summer I am launching my debut full-length feature film named “FATALITY”. It would be kind of a mockumentary movie about a young guy. He moves to a big city and accidentally gets into one of the graffiti gangs. He gets to know the rules of Moscow street-life and starts his own path as a graffiti artist. It will be a story about becoming an adult, about art, friendship and false values. Currently we launched the crowdfunding, which will help us to gain money for film production. I guess, You’ll be hearing from us soon!