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| Lev Polyakov |
The Squeerelist - Your short movie Only Love treats harsh and violent topics to a background of goofy characters and light-hearted tunes. What is the message you’re trying to send by making those 2 opposite worlds run into each other?
Lev Polyakov - Goofy characters turn out to be the most dangerous... Even the goofy guard because of his earnest love towards the dictator. I chose light-hearted music that seems to contrast with the gruesome things that occur on screen, to give another angle from which all the violence can be viewed... Instead of casting pity on a particular side with the aid of serious music, the sillier music makes both sides and their grand desires look equally ridiculous.
You came to New York City at an early age with your parents who immigrated as Jewish refugees. Your movie is set in a totalitarian regime with strong authoritarian figures. How much of this story is based on your personal family experience?
My great-grandparents and grandparents were among those who were either killed or sent to concentration camps during Stalin’s reign of terror. My parents, especially my mom, also endured a relative amount of punishment during the Soviet Union.
As a child you tried out acting then turned to the animation field of this Film industry you seem to be fascinated with. Why the change of heart and the choice of a less traditional filmmaking specialty?
For me, acting, directing films, drawing, and writing, are all pretty interrelated. While it takes time to learn how to do each well, the knowledge from doing one are a bit like college credits that end up counting in any of these other accredited universities. Now, for example, I’m going to be directing a live action film, but I’ll never close my mind to doing any of the above mentioned things.
You seem to be very attached to a somewhat traditional drawing technique and seem to avoid Computer-Generated Imagery. What is the reason for this commitment?
The thing is, I have no commitments. I do what I feel like at the moment and what suits the story.
There is a recurring character in your movies – this little hamster seen in your music video My Heart Belongs to You. I feel like there is a story behind this, can you tell us more?
After being inspired by Colin Huggins’s amazing song for the video, I thought about a dictator who lived all cramped up in the teacher’s cage who ends up dreaming about falling in love with her, but it wasn’t appropriate, so ended up going with his pet.
Dreams and nightmares are at the core of your movies. Are those a fear, an obsession of yours or simply a source of inspiration?
I don’t have much nightmares, but I get lots of inspiration from the occasional day-mare:
Any advice you want to share with the indie animators out there ?
Don’t lose your sense of humor.
Find out more about Lev's projects at: levpolyakov.com
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