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HERE WE TEACH TO WIN is a documentary project in progress. The film explores the notions of victory and patriotism focusing on a military-patriotic club for youth with the motto ‘Here We Teach To Win’, in Russia. Military-patriotic clubs are non-profit organizations in the post-Soviet space, engaged in the patriotic education of youth, preparing to serve in the armed forces. They appeared in the 1980s before the Soviet Union collapsed, mostly as an initiative of civilians with a military background.
Shooting exercise, Moscow, 2016
The film provides a look into the life of this military-patriotic club for youth named ‘Young Paratrooper’, based in Moscow. On the one hand, the motto of this club is connected to patriotism and victory over an enemy. On the other hand, it is linked to the victory over oneself and thus enhancing personal strength, physical possibilities, and mental boundaries. The connection and tension between these two notions are observed over the course of the film.
Through archival videos and contemporary footage filmed in 2016-2017, one can see the everyday routine of the club. Day and night, children between 10 and 18 years old are undergoing different types of military training: fighting, operating machine guns, jumping with parachutes, moving over rough terrains, throwing knives. Cadets and trainers reflect on their motivation to undergo or give the training and on the meaning of patriotism in Soviet and post-Soviet times, as well as overcoming personal boundaries and self-improvement.
This documentary is now in post-production. It was made possible thanks to Mondriaan Fund and Wilhelmina E. Jansen Fund.
