Albina Tokova presented a clip dedicated to the deportation of Karachais
The long-awaited video clip of Albina Tokova "The Journal" was released. This is a composition in the Karachai language, in which it is said about the most difficult actress of the time for the people - the forced eviction of Karachais during the repressions of 1943.
The video uses shots from the movie “Sentenced to oblivion” by Marat Duraev, but the main storyline unfolds around the story of a mother of two children, forced to hold a blow of fate. This role went to Albina Tokova.
About how the shooting went and about the main goal of the project, we decided to talk with the artist herself and with the director, as well as the author of the script for the video - Magomed Kumykov.
- First, let's talk about the song itself. When was the idea born to shoot a clip on it?
The author of words and music for this composition is the People's Artist of the KCR - songwriter Albert Uzdenov. I have been performing it for 10 years, and each time I pass it through myself, I worry, I remember my grandfather and grandmother. Longing fills the soul, and tears appear in the eyes. Psychologically, the song is complicated, of course ...
In the film “Sentenced to oblivion,” she sounds during the credits. Marat Duraev considered that this song deserves a separate project and decided that it would be good to shoot a clip, telling it another story of the family that suffered from this tragedy.
The composition of the “Journal” is well known among Karachais and Balkars. Other peoples love her. The only goal when creating the video was not to spoil the song, not to distort its perception.
- Where was the video shot? And how long did this work take?
Albina Tokova: We shot the beginning of the clip in the Nogai village of Erken-Yurt. This place is very suitable for the scene with kyamar (women's handmade belt made of silver). Further shooting took place in the village of Shhauat, in the Kichi-Balyksky rural settlement (Malokarachaevsky district).
These are the most beautiful places! The house, which is more than 200 years old, served as the main location. We were told that the name of the former owners is the Goguevs. Very unusual place. There was even heard the flapping of the wing of an eagle flying over us during the filming ...
Magomed Kumykov: Filming lasted 2 days, but the preparatory phase took more than a month. During this time, actors were selected, costumes were sewn. After all, there is very little that can be found ready from the era of the 40s of the last century.
During the filming of the clip, the weather was severe. By the way, the February cold with a barrage wind perfectly conveyed the atmosphere and mood of the song itself.
- Tell us about the plot of the clip, roles and actors.
Magomed Kumykov: According to the script, the heroine of Albina Tokova returns to her home after expulsion. She is upset at the state of her homeland, that not everyone has returned from a foreign land. But, at the same time, she is full of hope that everything will be formed, and her people will be reborn and prove their right to a peaceful life and justice!
Albina Tokova: The role came easy to me. Apparently, because I was wearing a feather shawl from my grandmother, who was no longer alive, and the “kamar” belt, which was provided to me by fashion designer Zarema Adzhieva. This is a family belt that has passed 4 generations and is preserved.
My heroine is a mother of two young children, from a family with her big family history, which suddenly fell into difficult conditions when all our people were forced to survive. Of course, everyone who managed to grab something with themselves on that terrible night exchanged it for food. Literally everything! And my heroine was no exception, she came to the market to take a jar of flour in return for her family heirloom, but in the end she couldn’t refuse the memory of her ancestors ... She had a choice: to feed her children or give her culture, her memory for a can of flour, their people ... But, as our grandmothers said, there in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, where our ancestors were deported, people treated them with understanding and pity, helped as much as they could, there was compassion for those who were brought in wagons to foreign land in cattle cars ...
And according to the plot, the saleswoman felt sorry for my heroine and generously gave her this jar of flour just like that.
By the way, the seller of flour plays not just an actress, but not even an actress at all, but a deputy of the People’s Assembly of the KCR - Muratkhan Mikhailovich. She immediately agreed to take part in such a project and reacted with great trepidation both to the game in the video and to the stage itself in the market. Thank you so much for that!
Magomed Kumykov: The heroine Muratkhan Mikhailovich showed that even in the most difficult times, a person must remain a person. The actors also took part in the clip: Alina Kubanova, Aslan Hubiev, Totay Bekuatova, Svetlana Mutsalkhanova, Mariam Kipkeeva, Nauruz Kipkeev.
- Albina, you very truthfully conveyed the emotions of your heroine. Without tears, it is impossible to look at her suffering, soul-throwing, her tears. Was it difficult then to get out of the image?
Albina Tokova: When touching upon the theme of repressions and expulsion of all peoples, not just my Karachai, I immediately enter the state that is called "complete immersion in sadness." I believe that this is the most unfair thing that could be done to the peoples in those days. It was not easy to get out of the image, but considering that this was a shoot, I had to quickly rebuild.
Of course, I’m an actress not the most “awful” one, but this story had to be played just like that, and Magomed Kumykov helped me a lot in this. Thanks to him separately for this.
Magomed Kumykov: Well, all these shootings were organically included in the frames from the film “Sentenced to oblivion” by Marat Duraev. This documentary describes all the hardships and the horror of the eviction of the Karachai people.
- The clip of the “Journal” is a significant contribution to the cultural heritage of the Karachai people. A significant project for all whose families were affected by such a disaster. What would you like to tell the audience on the day of the premiere?
Magomed Kumykov: For me personally, this is one of the most difficult and interesting projects. Such work is extremely important for the younger generation, for educational purposes. And the older generation should not forget what he had to endure. Cranes fly away to foreign lands, but always return in the spring ...
Albina Tokova: I just want to thank without a break those who helped this video come to light! The main thanks, of course, to the creators of the film “Sentenced to oblivion”, in particular to Marat Duraev, for their support and for the idea of creating! Thanks to Hanafi Khasanov, Deputy Director of the Museum-Reserve of Karachay-Cherkessia, Magomed Kumykov, whom I rightly consider to be the best director, the best screenwriter who feels and correctly delivers any product of its own, each of which is different from the previous one. Thanks to the guys of his operators, in particular, Islam Azamatov. Many thanks to the children who played the role of my children - Aslanchik Khubiev and Alinochka Kubanova. Thank you very much and my admiration for our unsurpassed Muratkhan Adzhigereyevna Mikhailovich! And to everyone who participated, but I didn’t mention them - many thanks!
This is my first music video, which, I hope, will not be “the first damn thing” ... And thanks to all those who love my work and have been waiting for a video for this song for so many years. “The Journal” is a cry song of my Karachai people!
