Everybody Knows
Lies-as-truths and people-as-numbers under the political regime
Directed by Daria Geller
Interview by Tatev Avetisyan
Amidst the prevailing uncertainty that has persisted in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, people face a profound dilemma: whether to express their discontent or abstain from actions that may potentially cause harm. Daria Geller took action through her recent film, Everybody Knows, with the portrayal of individuals subjected to a repressive regime that ultimately leads to their demise, accompanied by the words of Leonard Cohen. This short film serves as a music video, political statement, and a statement for the artists from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.
During our interview with Daria Geller, we delved into the intricate process of filmmaking and the power of raising one's voice.
How did you get involved in filmmaking?
I made my way into the world of filmmaking at the age of 16, when I got accepted into VGIK film school in Moscow, under the lead of renowned cinematographer Mikhail Agranovich. I don’t come from a family of artists, so the school gave me everything: community, profession, passion, and taught me how to roll cigarettes and tell stories. I initially set out as a cinematographer (still am!), but then decided to work as a director - two very different, yet complementary roles that I equally love.
What was the motivation behind Everybody Knows? Considering the universal theme within the narrative, did you cultivate this idea for a long time, or did it come naturally after the political turmoil between Russia and Ukraine?
The idea came after the war broke out. I guess I could have come up with it way earlier, but to tell the truth, only the last two years made me realise what we have been witnessing all these years. Many ideas on the subject came into my mind; it is my way of coping with grief, surprise, identity questions, justice, and evilness. This one seemed the most poetic, so I hoped it could be sold as a music video. This part didn't quite work, but while searching and pitching, I got a lot of support from other filmmakers, and it helped me realise that this idea has to be made as soon as possible. So then Leonard Cohen came to mind, and the rest is history.
The video combines elements of a short film, a music video, and political action - what was the recipe for effectively balancing these different mediums? Guide us through the creative process of starting from the scratch idea to polishing the editing part.
First was, of course, the idea, the vision. I had this dream of creating popular content on serious matters, but it has never actually worked - somehow, people didn’t think these things blended well. And I think a poetic, artistic point of view of serious questions in mainstream media will reach those who wouldn’t engage with this otherwise.
At first, I looked for an artist who would take this concept for one of their songs, but without success. Then I heard Leonard Cohen on the radio, and I knew immediately this is it. Once I had sound and vision in my head, the production began immediately, and the idea quickly found a lot of support. Most of the crew are new film immigrants from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. I was lucky to meet them in the last year and a half.
The short was produced by myself and my partner, Yuval Orr, with the help of a new immigrant Sonya Goryacheva through our production company, No Man’s Land. The lead actress and casting director, Anna Pereleshina, helped to find many of the crew members, themselves immigrants, who first heard of the project through a Telegram chat I created in March 2022 as the first waves of people fleeing the war arrived in Israel.
The cover song was crafted by my talented friend, Roi Keidar, who happens to be an incredible musician. I had previously collaborated with him on the score for my short film Him & Her, so I knew right away he was the perfect choice for this project. When I briefed him, I gave Roi a sole direction: I wanted a version that would capture a poetic essence while maintaining a restrained emotional tone to portray the sense of desperation.
I aimed to capture the complex emotions of a nation that has been manipulated for years, showcasing a mix of confusion, surrender, detachment, and ignorance. We took a bold approach by shooting the entire project on 16mm film using the Arriflex sr3 camera paired with ELITE Super16 OPTAR Primes Set. People thought we were crazy for choosing this route, considering it was an independent project with no film development labs available in Israel. But I was convinced that shooting on film was the way to go. Editing is always the hardest for me as I usually edit my own work. I am always worried about not showing the best out of everyone’s efforts. But then eventually, always, of course, it finds its form. And once it’s done – you know it’s done.
What led you to choose Leonard Cohen's music, and how it contributed to the storytelling?
Initially, it wasn’t supposed to be this song. But hearing it made me feel like we were talking about the same thing! It’s right there: “Everybody knows the boat is leaking, everybody knows the captain lied” “…Everybody wants a box of chocolates and a long stem rose. And everybody knows”. I think Lenard Cohen’s lyrics simply sum it all up and even work as subtitles! I hope Leonard Cohen would have liked all this.
“There was also the delicate matter of the focus of the piece: we didn’t want to put anyone at risk, and we also didn’t necessarily want the focus to be on a specific individual.”
The film features a group of women watching as a young man lies naked on the floor, who appears as a meaningless number by the regime. This scene also seems to give biblical hints; was it implied? Could you elaborate on the symbolism and the message you aimed to convey?
I wouldn’t go as far as giving a biblical read, but there is definitely symbolism involved. Vladislav Zalivanski, the lead actor, represents the individual, and therefore a meaningless number in the eyes of the regime. He’s ready to give himself up to false promises, as he is lifted to the skies hoping to fulfil his duty, only to realise that he is nothing but a resource to be selfishly exploited. Even then, he’s looking up to the sky and the birds, hoping for freedom and a new beginning, while everyone else simply stares and does nothing.
What challenges did you face during the production of Everybody Knows, considering its sensitive subject matter? How did you navigate these challenges?
There were several. On the one hand, the most obvious, the subject of the video can put some people off. That’s the first thing I was afraid of, which ironically is the whole point of the film. As artists, I feel we have an obligation to speak up about what bothers us, and I was glad to see people in the artistic community were on board with the project. There was also the delicate matter of the focus of the piece: we didn’t want to put anyone at risk, and we also didn’t necessarily want the focus to be on a specific individual. But we did want to raise awareness of Russian society as a whole, and its apathy, knowing full well what was happening. Lastly, as this is effectively an independent project, we were all working for free, which meant we had to wait for quite some time before the project was complete.
How do you think art and filmmaking can contribute to social and political change, particularly in contexts where fear and silence prevail?
The meaning of art in my mind is to mirror the world and ourselves or to share inner visions and feelings. If those are being truthful, then viewers can see themselves in it. It is a very big advantage to be able to see yourself. Silence prevails when there is only silence all around. Therefore if you speak up - others will too. And that’s powerful.
What are you working on next?
I would love to create more projects like this, maybe for Russian musicians. I believe when you talk about serious subjects through a popular medium – it gets your message further. Besides, I am building an art residency in Italy with my life partner Yuval through our production company, No Man’s Land, and writing a feature film that expands on the themes of this piece with my co-writer, Katrin Tublin. In some ways, it feels like maybe now is not the time for these kinds of stories, but I was raised in Russia and have the urge to reflect, to learn how we got here and why.
Original music and words by Leonard Cohen
Composer Roi Keidar (@roikeidar)
Vocals Roi Keidar & Daria Geller Violin Alina Maslennikova
Recording engineers Eldy and Ben K
Director and Cinematographer Daria Geller (@daria.geller)
Executive producers Daria Geller, Yuval Orr
Line producer Sonya Goryacheva (@sonyaagain)
Art director Yulia Gavrilova
1AD Katrin Tublin
2AD Anna Pereleshina
1AC Pasha Adler (@pappolokk)
2AC Naama Bernstein
Gaffer Ilya Pliatskovskii
Grip Lev Arpishkin
Steadicam Gilad Porat
DP assistant Yan Yasinski (@yan.dop)
Special make up effects artist Kseniya Malkina
PA and Make Up Valeriya Moysak
Spark Nikolay Platonov
PA Leonid Fridman
PA Timofei Stelmah- Darevsky
Driver Nazar Harhun
Equipment Rental Utopia
Backstage photographer Eitan
VFX: Editit Studio (@editit.studio)
VFX Supervisor: Itay Assouline
DMP: Tomer Nakash, Ofek Ben Shitrit
Compositing: Itay Assouline
Roto: Furkan Abdani
VFX of the hand and birds shots: Boris Lutsiuk
VFX Supervisor Max Polinsky
Colorist Andrey Garny (@andrey_garny)
Film Lab Kodak UK
Shot on 16mm (@kodak_shootfilm)