Lilja 4-Ever

[QueenBee]

...and I haven't seen it.

[Lux]

still havent seen this but reading this thread makes me want to. you can rent it in the US, right?

[elf]

Originally posted by Lux
still havent seen this but reading this thread makes me want to. you can rent it in the US, right?

I have it downloaded but I still haven't seen it. After reading the review I should

[elf]

Well, I have finally watched the movie. In a few words: I loved it and hated it at the same time

First of all the directing, the acting and the soundtrack are simply awesome. The movie is very powerful and draws you in right from the start. To be honest, I trully enjoyed watching it

What I didn't really like is the main point of the movie - the undeniable and overwhelming "live is shit" and death bing the only salvation. It is said that Russian movies are famous for not having a happy end just as American movies are famous for having one. However this film was depressing almost every second right from the beginning. It's one of those films that makes you want to die after watching it

The reason why the film is so depressing for me personally is that it so realistically depicts the cruelty of Russian life of mid 90's. The director specifically selects the worst possible aspects and describes them in vivid detail. What is not very typical is the main character. She does not have a "fighter" spirit and does not try do her best to resist the hardships of life like most Russians would. She is a very kind and naive girl who accepts the life as it is, and the life eventually defeats her. Furthermore, the live is very hard for her, with no forgiveness for any mistakes she makes.

Coparing t.A.T.u. to the movie, if they are even related, I would say they are on the two completely opposite ends of the line:

* The image innocent yet forbiden love VS depiction of brutal and violent sex.
* The power to posess the minds of millions VS the powerlessness of not being in controll of your own body.
* The strength to fight through any difficulties/prejudices to protect their love VS deparate acceptance of fate.
* Inspiration VS tragedy.

BTW, it was a t.A.T.u. portrait on Lilya's wall

[cirrus]

Where did you guys get this movie? I'd love to see it (i like dark depressing movies for some reason...)

[elf]

Originally posted by cirrus
Where did you guys get this movie? I'd love to see it (i like dark depressing movies for some reason...)

I downloaded mine from eDonkey If you want I can try to upload it to an FTP...

[cirrus]

Thanks elf, but it would take so long for me to download it. Plus, i really can't stand watching shows/videos on my computer. it's the TV for me. But thanks for offering, it was a nice gesture.

I found a place to order it, but I'll need a multi-region DVD player. And since it's almost Christmas...

[QueenBee]

cirrus, I agree with you.. watching movies on the computer sucks I would see it with my best friend but she's already seen it

*Cough* A multi-region DVD player, eh? What's your address :P

[cirrus]

QueenBee, if you'll send me one, i'll gladly give you my address! but who knows what other evil things you'll send to me...

[coolasfcuk]

Originally posted by cirrus
I found a place to order it, but I'll need a multi-region DVD player. And since it's almost Christmas...

I know how you feel 'Slavic brat'
I've looked all over the place to order the DvD in America and not in euro-format... no luck... but... i think I might've found a place where i can rent it from... *crossing fingers* ... would not have that problem if i was at the East Coast ..i am sure... psssssssssss russkaya, when's the next time you're going to NY? he heeeeeeee...

o.t. Queenie, my 'Slavic sestra' awwwwwwwwwww

Hos dig vill jag stanna kvar

are you continuing my signature he heeeeeeeee .... but i thought it was:

hos dig дr jag stark
hos dig дr jag underbar
hos dig har jag allt
dе vеgar jag stanna kvar

[russkayatatu]

Originally posted by coolasfcuk
... would not have that problem if i was at the East Coast ..i am sure... psssssssssss russkaya, when's the next time you're going to NY? he heeeeeeee...

I am always, always looking for an excuse but not to ask a stupid question ... are you sure there is a non-Euro version of the DVD?

[coolasfcuk]

Originally posted by russkayatatu
but not to ask a stupid question ... are you sure there is a non-Euro version of the DVD?

not stupid at all russ, cause really... I dont think there is... but i KEPP hoping, lol... otherwise will have to wait till I am in Europe to watch it...

[russkayatatu]

I don't think there is either ... but I know there's a VHS-NTSC version which I'm sure is around somewhere, and I can find out if the DVD's in print - so - I'll check it out

[cirrus]

About a North American Lilya 4-Ever DVD: I found a great website about the movie (forgot the address), but it had a big online store with DVDs, and other related things like tatu cds ( ). I emailed the owner, and he said that a North American release is unlikely, and there are no DVDs that will play here.

Unless... he he he
I discovered that many DVD players can be hacked! With a combination of buttons on the remote control, you can change the region setting to enable other DVDs. My dvd player SUCKS because it can't be hacked, but others might. Just find out what brand/model number your dvd is and search for hacks.

Slavic Brat, huh?
Me likes the sound of that

[coolasfcuk]

Originally posted by russkayatatu
... but I know there's a VHS-NTSC version which I'm sure is around somewhere, and I know where and how to find out if the DVD's in print - so - I'll check it out

well.. I still have VCR as well .. and ja ja... find out russ and let us know, please! And if you ever come across that VHS you know what to do right

[shizzo]

I just did an ьbersearch for that film - and it seems
that it's true that there hasn't yet been a Region 1
release of it.



Release expected in the summer of 2004, though.

By the way, coolasfcuk is right - it should be "dе
vеgar jag stanna kvar".

:: relentless fan of PI ::

[QueenBee]

cirrus, I don't send bombs I swear! WHO TOLD YOU I SEND BOMBS?! HUH?!?!?!? You don't know me, I don't know you! *runs away and runs back again* Psst, *whispers* We've never had this conversation. *Cough*

cniaju, & coolasfcuk, oh well, I never payed much attention to that song.

[luxxi]

Originally posted by russkayatatu
Anyway I was wondering a couple things about the movie - only got to see it once, but it seemed when I was watching it that Moodysson was dealing with a lot of the same issues that Shap and Tatu do: like the one scene towards the end when she keeps talking in Russian and her Swedish client says "what, no school today? - sit down, do your homework, and be quiet," massaging her shoulders and getting aroused. It's the same projection of the "sexy schoolgirl" that tatu use with their outfits, in their YSSU and ATTSS videos, although in Moodysson's film it's not titillating, it's degrading - and ugly, after everything that she's already been through.

I was under impression he wanted to have sex with his daughter and used Lilya to play the role.

After all the hype about it I watched it inependant film festival here. bloody depressing. I thought that whoever wrote that script had worst hangover in his life and just wanted to die. Maybe I expected too much but was rather disapointed with it.

[taty994945]

It's the feel-bad movie of the year.

[Unplugged]

I've just seen it. (**spoilers ahead**)

Ever since I started to get to know tATu, I obviously got more interested about what was and is going on in ex-URSS countries, so I was already sort-of prepared for this movie. But still, just like Lars von Trier's 'Dancer in the Dark', it made me feel the tragedy in a really extreme way. When Lilya got into "her" appartment in Sweden, I thought to myself "OK, prepare yourself" - but then when I saw her cleaning up the place and having a nice bath I thought "Hmm, I hope she'll at least have some sort of comfort when she's alone and not being RAPED all the time"... And then when her pimp came back to the appartment I even thought for a second that he would just tell her to get ready and take her to a client. But when he locked her in the bathroom and raped her... And when she got locked in the appartment crying and asking for help... My heart was beating faster and I had tears in my eyes - it's funny though, while watching some tragic movies I just cry, but this one was so shocking that it was like I didn't even have to think about crying when I had the tears in my eyes, cause I couldn't stop feeling what was happening - it was so intense, I couldn't just stop for a second to think about it and then cry.
It's not just a movie, it's an experience. It is a brilliant piece of art because it captures the character's emotions so well and develops such an atmosphere that you clearly forget it's a movie and start feeling it as it were real (and it's a VERY rare accomplishment these days). The scene where Lilya and Volodya are inside a huge abonded military building of the former Soviet Union reading speeches of former powerful men, it's funny in a way but also very sad since it perfectly illustrates to what happened to ex-URSS countries after they got independent - they got abandoned and then also exploited by western society.
Some people say Lukas Moodyson is pretentious because he says western rich countries take advantage of the hopelessness of people in poor countries and exploit them to an extreme point which is really cruel, in terms of slavery even. Not only sexual slavery, all kinds of slavery. I don't think this is pretentious or "populist" as some other people said. I don't think the vision he's trying to give is as simple as "Westerners - rich, bad, cruel; Easterners - poor exploited victims" - I just think some people get angry at him because they would prefer to just watch some documentaries about sex slavery without the actual disturbing scenes, just some testemonials of some girls with blurred faces, so they can say "oh yes, it's so sad" and then not think about ever again after 2 seconds. This movie takes a stand, and I guess that irritated many people in the Western society.

Then I'd like to talk about another thing. Some people say the message they got after the movie was that there's no hope - if your life is going to be horrible every day and God doesn't listen to your prayers, destroy God's picture and then kill yourself. Once again, it's a stupid, easy interpretation. Actually, on the DVD, Moodyson even talks about this. He says something like "God didn't listen to her prayers - but maybe he did"! And I totally agree. For me, God sent her Volodya as an Angel as she was about to commit suicide and he (Volodya) told her she still had that life to live and if she killed herself she would be giving in "to the people who spit on her"... On the other hand, although he advises her not to do it, you can tell he would respect her choice because either way she would end up in misery and die - if she told the police, she would be sent back to her native country and the sex mafia would either kill her or keep using her; if she didn't tell anyone, she'd have to go through hell being raped everyday for many years. So, to my view, God did give her a sign. And when she died, she joined her friend in Heaven just like they imagined it.

There's one thing though... Moodyson said he called the place where she lived "somewhere in ex-Soviet Union" cause if he said it was Estonia or whatever, people could think that he was blaming the named country for allowing such situations. But then he makes it quite clear that she is going to SWEDEN, a not a country "somewhere in the EU", and that's where the most horrible things happen to her, in a supposedly more civilized and secure country. So, I think it's plausible if someone says that he wants to blame the Western society more... ok, so maybe he does. I would too - since we have access to so much more, since we have more structures, it's insulting that things can happen just like that.

Anyway, if you haven't seen it, go rent it or buy it. I bought it as soon as I layed my eyes on it and didn't regret it - on the other hand, it's one of the best movies I've ever seen in my life - as I said, it's not just a movie, it's a life experience.