A film preview: Ilyenko's Mazepa

by Oksana Zakydalsky

KYIV - Yuri Ilyenko's film about Hetman Ivan Mazepa is eagerly awaited. Because Bohdan Stupka appears in the role of the Hetman, people assume it will be a Ukrainian "Ogniem i Miecem" (in which Mr. Stupka played Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky). They are in for a surprise.

Mr. Ilyenko's film, titled "A Prayer for Hetman Mazepa," is based on a script he wrote in the 1970's and is more of an art film than a historical epic. Although the major weight of the role of Mazepa falls on Mr. Stupka, the hetman is played by three actors - the young boy is played by Serhiy Ilyenko, the director's son; the adult Mazepa - by film actor, dancer and one-time Cirque du Soleil performer Serhii Marchenko.

In the film, feeling betrayed by Mazepa, Peter I searches all over the world for him finally finding him in his grave. Peter disinters the body and the corpse comes to life. But all this takes place in Peter's dream. With the ghost of the old Mazepa as guide, Peter and his nemesis embark on a phantasmagoric journey. The story is not told in chronological order - sometimes two or even all three Mazepas appear together. The film is not yet finished; although most of the interior filming has been done, an expedition to Poland for exterior filming is being planned.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, May 27, 2001, No. 21, Vol. LXIX

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