Cats in cinema and history: opening of a new section

Greetings, dear visitors! Today we are pleased to introduce you to a new section of our blog - CineHistoCat! Here we will talk about how cats, these fluffy and charming creatures, find themselves in the right place at the right time. Does their presence affect the content of films? Doesn't the cat's performance play an important role in the story? And, of course, what does the human-centered concept of civilization development hide behind? We will address all these questions in our new section, because cats... they are everywhere!

Cats, camera, action!

Cinema has always been a magical world where everyone can find something interesting for themselves. And, as it turns out, cats also do not miss a chance to play their part in this great show. Sometimes they appear on the screen quite unexpectedly, but they skillfully fit into the plot and give it a new sound. Isn't it fabulous when an ordinary cat becomes the main character of a movie and saves the world from evil forces? Or when it just adds comfort and warmth to any scene? Cats in movies are always interesting, unpredictable and often very funny! Their presence can evoke different emotions in the audience, from admiration to undeniable delight. Sometimes they become symbols of sincerity and kindness, and sometimes of mystery and secrecy. Even in an ordinary comedy story, a cat can change the whole mood of the movie and make it unique. Cats can be great partners for actors and inspire them to new tricks and jokes. No less important is their role in documentaries, where cats can be real stars, telling the audience about their lives and interactions with people. It is not surprising that directors are increasingly choosing to include these furry actors in their creations.

Silent furry witnesses

Cats have seen a lot of things over the course of our planet's existence. From the assassination of Caesar to the death of dinosaurs... Although maybe they haven't seen the latter, but we'll check. How many secrets they could reveal! We also have to admit that cats have a special talent for changing the course of events. Perhaps somewhere they stopped a war or facilitated a trade agreement. Their unpredictability and independence, as well as their ability to lighten the atmosphere, have always made them welcome in high places, and in ancient Egypt... well, everyone knows that.

Hrushevsky and the cat

Our first KinoHistoCat is related to the work on Ivan Kanivets's novel Tsingtao-Wien-Kyiv. Shortly after the novel's publication, a calendar for 2022 was planned to be released, highlighting important events in the protagonist's life and the liberation struggle of Ukraine. It was based on the events described in the novel. And, importantly, the illustrations for them. We collected everything we could: the actions of Ukrainian aviation against Muravyov's troops in 1918, the raising of the Ukrainian flag by the Sich Riflemen in Halych in 1915, and the battle on Mount Makivka... but it turned out that there were less than 12 such events (with illustrations). Although the novel had already been published, it was decided to add more illustrations. Maybe someday we will print a new edition, they will be included. Thus, an illustration for the battle at Lyson, the first battle of the Sich Riflemen in Kyiv during the Arsenal rebellion appeared... one illustration remained to be created. But for which event?

Given that the protagonist of the novel was on guard outside the Central Rada during the fateful days of the adoption of Declaration of Independence (which we described on the basis of consultations with Oleksandr Kucheruk), it would be worthwhile to show our character next to president Hrushevsky. And so we did.

З From a technical point of view, everything was fine. There is Hrushevsky, as we saw him in the archive newsreels, and there is our hero in the uniform of a Sich Rifleman. But the atmosphere of the picture was too pretentious. It didn't match the spirit of the novel. What to do? My wife, who saw my doubts, suggested: "Add a cat!'' "Idea!" I lit up. "But I was joking!" - "No, no!". So I added the cat. Indeed, with the cat, the illustration fit perfectly into the context!