The cinema from which one grows and into which one grows, - how they become film directors
It is impossible to name creativity a trade- it is a long way into life. The film director about whom today we will talk since his childhood he knew, whom he wanted to become. As a small provincial boy he ran with his friends to watch film on street where there came installation with a film projector. Directly in the middle of road the screen was stretched, and there people instantly gathered and magic began.
We have met film director Shirli Mollaev in the "Turkmenfilm" Association named after Oguzhan. His memoirs on the first meetings with motion picture arts are same as his many contemporaries. Boys were so impressed by heroes of national dastans and eposes, military and adventure films that in the childish games they tried to play these characters by themselves.
Small Shirli was imposed by heroic Gorogly, he saddled an imagined horse and with "army" of loyal friends ran on rural small streets. In the senior classes Shirli liked literature and the recitation of verses became his favourite hobby. Because he was prophesied glory of an actor, but parents of Shirli dreamt that their son will be a physician.
- Parents wanted that I was engaged in serious business, but after the 8th class I entered the cultural-educational technical school for dance department, - Shirli tells. - I well danced, was able to play several instruments: accordion and guitar, composed songs for the dutar which my father taught me to play. In the technical school I studied four years and on its graduation he decided to enter a medical university as his mum and father wanted. But it was far from it. In examinations I failed and there suddenly arrived the commission from Uzbekistan to select young talented children for study in the Tashkent theatrical art institute.
As soon as young Shirli submitted his documents for audition, representatives of the commission, having learnt about his musical abilities, asked the fellow to stay the accompanist for his contemporaries-applicants. Three days went for big selection rounds, following the results 18 persons were selected, and 19th became Shirli. Having gone to Uzbekistan to master theatrical art, to his home the young man returned already as professional actor.
Even during his study he had the luck to co-operate with the actors and directors glorified all over the USSR. Being a student, he acted in film, and masters of Turkmen motion picture arts such as Baba Annanov were his reference point and support.
- An actor at the Theatre of Young Spectators, it was with what I began, but inside constantly there was an irrepressible thirst for something more. Memoirs on the film making passing in days of study, pulled me to cinema. I left theatre for the creative association "Ekran" (Screen). I was employed as assistant of the 2nd category; I worked as an assistant for the directors making documentary films. Somehow I was assigned to make independently a ten-minute documentary film «A legend of the Kopet Dagh» about the underground lake Kov-ata. Skilled colleagues in detail spread out to me all knowledge of genre, and this short documentary film became my first work at cinema after which many others followed.
The owner of numerous awards, author and director of more than 60 films of different genres in which number is the much adored serials «Ömür Kerweni» (“A caravan of life”), Shirli Mollaev admits that administrative activity is not for him, he grasps creative process namely.
And it is not without reason he is called the Turkmen Shukshin, he like his Russian colleague, likes to make films of Turkmen village, people’s life, and those places where he once grew.
- It is impossible to tell that all my creative ideas were carried out, - Shirli says. - I have a dream to shoot a film about Gorogly. This image has been played time and again by me on the stage, but I want to bring the legendary hero close to historical reliability as much as possible. While I work over a film about Turkmen carpets and I hope that the premiere will take place in December, to the 25th anniversary of neutrality. In the films I aspire to reflect national mentality, originality, for it I call also young directors. To love the native land, to know the wisdom of tradition, national history - without it, in my opinion, it is impossible to start making films for big cinema.
Selbi CHARYEVA
