Anastasija Pirozenko, Filmacademie Amsterdam

17 juni 2016

What can we call specific, authentic, or, our own?
In my research, I work with the concept of mimicry in the post-Soviet condition in Eastern Europe. In this region the Westernization process took a rather peculiar route, and seemingly adopted the form of a copy or imitation of Western norms. Although mimicry can be viewed as a negative aspect of development, which does not introduce anything novel into society; in my research I evaluate it as a coping mechanism for Baltic colonialism and tool for post-Soviet identity building.

The film Syndromes of Mimicry is a case study, with a satirical approach on a manifestation of mimicry in day-to-day life in Lithuania. With this film I attempt to illustrate a dissonance between the state’s politics and its citizens, and I invite the viewer to consider the hollowness of Lithuanian Eurocentrism.

* Keep an Eye Filmacademie Festival kicks off with the MA Graduation Show ‘Condition of Possibility’ 24-29 June.