Stagnation of the Brezhnev era in seven episodes, or dispelling illusions about the Soviet era in the Latvian TV series “Rebellion” / Article

The film is a historical drama based on true events about one man’s fight against the ruling establishment, which causes a mutiny on the Soviet warship “Storozhevoy”. The events take place in Riga in 1975.

The main character – Valerius Špaginas – is played by Dainis Grūbe. The series has seven episodes. It will be shown in cinemas from April 12.

The film begins at the moment when third-rank captain Valerijs Špagins arrives in Riga with his family. He was assigned as the captain’s assistant in political work, or the so-called zampolit, on the Soviet warship “Storozhevoj”.

He really believes passionately and naively in the ideals of communism. In his zeal, he allows himself to be critical of his superiors, which he is not forgiven for.

In the end, it is Špagins who initiates the attempted mutiny on the warship and drags the ship’s crew along in protest against the system. This riot is a real event that took place in Riga in 1975 during the celebration of the 58th anniversary of the revolution. After that, Shpagin was shot.

In seven episodes, the film shows the gloomy stagnation of Brezhnev’s time, the life of a communal apartment in Riga, the permissiveness of Soviet nomenclature both in the military system and outside it.

Director Andrejs Īkis emphasizes that with this film he wants to look the system in the face, in order to dispel any illusions about the Soviet era and thus try to help the victory of reason even today: “People simply get used to everything. Just like Ukrainians are getting used to bombing now. But if we so we “go back”, then we could no longer speak freely anywhere, neither at school nor elsewhere, we could not put flowers at the Freedom Monument, otherwise we would be arrested.

One can feel that for some people the past is getting more and more colorful, but it shouldn’t be. Someone thinks it’s beautiful because he was young and in love then, but that doesn’t justify anything. That past should not be glorified, because we lived in a big prison.”

Dainis Grūbe, who plays the role of Valery Špagin, admits that the most difficult thing when playing this role was to believe that a person could be so steadfast in his convictions and actions: “The most difficult thing was to believe that such a person exists. I am not like that in any way. Yes, I’m quite correct, but am I an idealist like him, such an icebreaker for my own way – no. It’s very hard to believe something like that, that a person can stand so directly against the system. But at the same time, looking at what’s happening in Russia, where even such people, it still allows us to believe in it.”

In the series, you will also be able to be at the officer’s ball, and there is also a place reserved for the depiction of domestic and family relations in the Soviet era, which are played magnificently by colorful female characters – they are played by Agnese Budovska, Inga Tropa and Elina Hanzena (her role is Valery Shpagin’s wife Nina).

Having come from Severomorsk, her life in Riga as an officer’s wife seems like a dream come true, but without realizing it, she becomes a puppet of the system. Actress Elina Hansen shares her thoughts: “It seems absurd to me how the government can deal with people without taking into account their feelings. That some idea can stand above humanity is terrible. You can see in the series that basically all people understand that it is not right, but in the name of some fancy idea they are ready to do terrible things.”

We will also see Igor Cherniavski, Andri Keisha and Egon Dombrovski in very bright roles. Andrejas Īkis series “Dumpis” will be shown in cinemas from April 12.