Thursday, August 23
Three Comrades
A powerful documentary about three friends from Chechnya who were swept up in the tragic events of the war but kept the camera running.

*** Buy Tickets ***   Just $5 online with the code RFFIVE

8:30: Live music by Barnya (details)
9:00: Movies Begin
Admission: $8.00 at the door or online
Venue: The Roof of the 14th Street Y | DIRECTIONS
Address: 344 E. 14th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues, East Village, Manhattan
Rain: In the event of rain, show will be indoors at the same location.
Call 718.417.7362 for additional information.
Presented in partnership with The 14th Street Y, IFC.com, and New York magazine.

Three Comrades (Masha Novikova | Russia | 2:00:00)
Official Selection at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival
The first scene of Three Comrades comes back repeatedly throughout the film. Three young men are driving around Groznyy at night, hard rock playing on the radio. The three friends are named Ruslan, Ramzan and Islam, and the footage was shot in the early 1990s. Shortly thereafter, Ruslan was arrested in Groznyy and executed by Russian soldiers. He left behind a wife and a son. A couple years later, Ramzan was also shot to death by a Russian plane, leaving a family behind as well. Islam, who worked as a doctor during the war, was framed for drug possession and fled the country. Today, he lives in the Netherlands. At the end of the film, Islam says, "I can't remember the past very well anymore."

We have just seen that past fly by, reconstructed in both a lucid and heartrending way by Masha Novikova, who has assisted Dutch filmmakers like Jos de Putter and Leo de Boer during their shoots in Russia. In Three Comrades, she incorporates impressive archival footage (often shot by Ramzan, who was a cameraman) to document how Chechnya was forced to its knees, and how much the population of this Caucasian province has suffered.

At Rooftop Films, we seek films that address public issues through private stories. This powerful and personal documentary tells the story of three friends, living through a decade of war, recording their lives on video. We witness the joys and hardships of their young lives, and come a little closer to understanding the terrible tragedy of civilians in war.

Music: Barnya

Established in 1991, Barynya combines traditional Russian song and dance in a full-fledged gypsy spectacle. Costumed performers sway and shuffle to the sounds of the balalaika, garmoshka (folk button accordion), and contrabass balalaika to create a truly unique cultural experience.

See what they're about here.