Homo novus has a literal translation from Latin “new man”. In ancient Rome, the so-called personality, having an origin from the plebs or of a little-known and noble family, who managed to get higher master's degrees.
Successful and independent
Since ancient Rome, the term “homo novus”, which had a contemptuous connotation in modern dialects, has noticeably transformed. In the Russian language, already in the 19th century it was used to characterize a person who was able to achieve success exclusively on his own, thanks to his talent and zeal, without any connection with his origin. A similar opportunity is offered to contemporaries by the Homo Novus Olympiad, regularly held by the Siberian State Medical University in chemistry and biology for school graduates. The winner of the Olympiad gets the opportunity to study at a higher educational institution for free, independently choosing a faculty and specialty.
Actual topics
In the 70-80s, school subjects were one of the most relevant in domestic cinema. And although the flight of imagination of the filmmakers was strictly limited by strict censorship, in the best examples of the Russian film industry of that time: “Someone else's Letters” by I. Averbakh, “Boys” by D. Asanova, “Scarecrow” by R. Bykov - the artistic truth surpassed all kinds of taboos. At the beginning of the 90s, school subjects transformed enormously. Filmmakers raised the burning problems associated with child cruelty, prostitution, drug addiction, alcohol abuse by minors and the hypocrisy of teachers. The cinema also covered the miserable existence of teachers, their meager salaries and lack of rights in front of the children of the "powerful people of this world." Hungarian director Pal Erdös, who made his debut with the Princess tape, which was awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, created his Russian production of Homo Novus (1990) in the light of the above-mentioned comforting trends of the 90s.
Plot
In the center of the narrative of the painting “Homo Novus” is a mathematics teacher Galina Alekseevna, whose image was embodied on the screen by the wonderful actress Irina Kupchenko. A woman raising a young son alone has a complex character, her emotional sphere is aggravated by painful experiences due to the unsettleness of her personal and life and gloomy prospects for the future. The teacher’s relations with the students are extremely tense, already at the beginning of the narration of the film “Homo Novus” the authors demonstrate how hostile the students are to her, but the teacher answers them the same.
The atmosphere is heating up after one of the students, immersed in their own world, the closed Serebrovsky (Anton Belov), who suffers from speech impairment, refuses to answer the questions asked by Galina Alekseevna. A woman ignores his defect, reacting to the boy’s behavior as if he deliberately provokes the teacher, trying to get him crazy. The teacher loses control due to the allegedly “demonstrative” silence of the student and weighs him badly.
Naturally, after this, the whole class decides to boycott Galina Alekseevna. Their parents send a complaint to the city party. Children frankly disrupt training sessions. Even in the presence of the head of the Moscow City Public Educational Center, they accuse the teacher of incompetence as a mathematician. They disclose the vicissitudes of the personal life of a stumbled woman. In a certain sense, children are somewhat right in some way, but subsequently they are too carried away by bullying and do not notice how they commit a crime in search of revenge.
Filmmakers
The screenwriter of the film "Homo Novus" was the young playwright Zoya Dziublo (nee Kudrya). The text that came out from her pen brought the debutante victory in the screenwriting competition held by Goskino. After the premiere of the film, she received recognition and fame. Zoya Kudrya was invited to the festival of screenwriters in Italy, which motivated her to develop her potential. Currently, among her most famous works are the paintings “Admiral”, “Mosgaz”, “Elder Wife”, “Executioner”, and among the series “Cadets” and “Border. Taiga novel. "
The film directed by Erdés Pal was awarded the Golden Dolphin Prize in Lisbon, was awarded the church’s prize in the nomination “For Faith in Man”, and received awards in Locarno and Montreal. Project rating according to IMDb: 6.30.
Hungarian director, according to critics, with amazing accuracy and realism for a foreigner reproduced the details of the joyless life of the heroes, their dull existence. To enhance the effect, the director intentionally used black and white film. The director successfully realized his creative intent, longing and depression while watching the audience is guaranteed. The only fact that can confuse the public is the amazing coldness with which the film Homo Novus was created. Some reviewers called such an authorial trick justified, comparing Pal Erdosh with a surgeon who ruthlessly cut the tumor.