Kvadrat

Kvadrat is a film project by Franco-Russian film director and photographer Anatoly Ivanov which plays with the thin lines between a documentary, a road movie and an extra long music video.

Published in 2013, the movie follows Russian DJ and vinyl collector Andrey Pushkarev who has been doing what he does for a very long time now - 20 years to be precise - and Kvadrat gives insights into the profession of being a techno DJ.

Starting in Moscow at what appears to be the protagonist's home, the movie takes its viewer on a journey through clubs in five different countries: Switzerland, France, Russia, Hungary and Romania, always accompanied by a thoughtfully selected and massive-impressive soundtrack, varying from electronic-sounding tunes over playful house music to melodic, deep and almost hypnotizing techno tracks.

The movie clearly portrays the electrifying and happy atmosphere of the club life at night and the magic of the music, yes. However, it also reveals the not-so-known aspects of being a DJ playing worldwide at that time: a sense of isolation and boredom during his travels as well as lengthy trips on planes, trains and buses and whatever may come along with it, like mediocre food or unnecessary problems at the accommodation. And sometimes, a subtle kind of sadness also seems to be co-traveling with Andrey as he drifts off to sleep from exhaustion here and there and ends up dreaming about his childhood home.

In Kvadrat, Ivanov and Pushkarev have skillfully managed to create an impressive equilibrium between ecstasy and agony, between euphoria and melancholy, between feeling alive and wondering what life is actually about. The usual elements of a documentary have been left out, and besides a few dialogs, there are no interviews or explanations, which leaves room for the viewer's very own interpretation.

If you have a passion for FINEST house and techno music without having to be too strict about which sub-genre a track has to be categorized as and also enjoy good documentaries, then Kvadrat is definitely a must-see for you.

The title suggests to us that the profession of a techno DJ is not an ideal circle without nooks and corners, as it may seem from the outside, no, it's a square. The film is the same: not sleek, not streamlined… when the main character blows his nose, he does so on camera.

"Kvadrat" takes the viewer on a tour of European night clubs, a one- and-a-half dive into the atmosphere of the life of Russian techno DJ Andrey Pushkarev. Through his example, we witness what it takes a person to walk the path of an artist, to risk making a living out of one's art. We can watch a man, apparently totally devoid of ego; he, like Buddha, humbly fulfills his purpose. And there lies his greatness. Andrey plays his music for the people, without a fuss about who they are or where it happens: in a big metropolitan club or a small provincial one, he is comfortable everywhere. The movie "Kvadrat" is a montage of moods: airports, countries, cities, clubs and also seasons. By his own example, Andrey Pushkarev destroys the myth that a DJ is necessarily someone resigned to unhealthy lifestyle, which is associated with his job, and someone who said "yes" to alcohol, tobacco and other stimulants.

The film "Kvadrat" is a real gift to the club culture connoisseur.