These scenes are a part of a script for a new film co-directed by Anton Vidokle and Liam Gillick. They are based on the transcript of a meeting convened by Nicolae Ceaușescu, the final Communist leader of Romania, on August 21, 1989, with key members of his government. The English translation of the transcript is in the archive of the Woodrow Wilson Institute. Here it appears nearly in full, in Scene 4.
The cast: six actors. Their ages range from late 40s to early 60s. Five are male, one is female. Additionally, there is a Kuroko1—the kind of stagehand that appears alongside actors in Kabuki theater. He dresses in all-black, his face covered by a veil.
The set: a large, square room with black curtains on all four sides.
The camera: mounted on a large circular track, moving perpetually around the circumference of the room. All action happens inside this circle.
The lighting: contrasting, theatrical.
Scene 1.
The camera circles the table slowly and fluidly.
Actor 1:
“I guess we should number the pages?”
Actor 3:
“Very good idea.”
Actor 4:
“Smart man.”
Actor 5:
“Oh, it’s stapled.”
Actor 1:
“What about staples?”
Actor 3:
Lights a cigarette.
“But if we have page numbers, we can tell each other…”
Actor 2:
“I don’t care.”
Actor 6:
“Okay, let’s do it.”
“Lines.”
Actors start reading the script out loud. The text is difficult—its wording is bumpy and full of ideological jargon— and opaque in its references to unfamiliar contexts and historical events, holidays, and other obscure specifics. Several words starting with the letter “s” repeat in seemingly every sentence: socialism, solidarity, and Soviet. The speakers keep addressing each other as “Comrade.” It feels that the lines are not so much tied to individual roles but are all words of one collective “Comrade” enacted by different individuals.
Actors stop reading and look at each other.
Actor 1:
“Alright team, what do you think?”
Actor 5:
“What I’m not sure I understand is if there’s agreement or argument, or who’s pushing…”
Actor 4:
“It feels like ‘Soviet, Soviet solidarity, Soviet, solidarity, Solidarity, Soviet.’ You know, it’s, it does feel a little bit like a word salad.”
Actor 1:
“What do you mean?”
Actor 4:
“What I mean is that it’s feeling a little bit like a blur.”
Actor 3:
“You want to understand it better?”
Actor 4:
“Like, the Polish workers party, is that aligned with Solidarity or is that aligned with the communist Polish government? There are just a couple of places where I know I need facts, but then also, who’s coming from where?”
Actor 1:
“So let’s sketch out the forces. There’s Romania, the Romanian government, which is the communist government, and then there’s the Romanian people. That’s a force of some concern, you know, between those two. That’s internal.
Then external to Romania, there’s the big ones, the Soviet Union and the United States, which in this conversation, they’re talking about those two forces having relations over Poland. Okay, so there’s that.
And then there’s Poland. In Poland, the government is the Polish United Workers’ Party.”
Actor 4:
“That is the communist government. Thank you.”
Actor 2:
“I wanted to bring up about the word ‘solidarity,’ because it’s used like, like something that is good and something that’s bad…”
“We support Solidarity, and it’s also a path for agency for American imperialism, but then they keep wishing everybody solidarity.”
Actor 1:
“Yeah. When it’s in quotes, that means the Solidarity labor movement, led by Lech Wałęsa, which was bad news for the Romanian government in terms of… And what happened was at this point, Solidarity had been—the labor movement had been–working for years to loosen things up in Poland in terms of the communist Polish United Workers’ Party.
And they finally succeeded. And of course, they were favored by the United States because they were challenging the Soviets and, and the Polish Communist Party, but the whole Eastern Bloc and Warsaw Pact was—”
Actor 2:
“So, the United States is a good guy? I’m just kidding.”
Actor 4:
“Now I do have one question here. That’s the Solidarity that’s not the Workers’ Movement, right? It’s weird because it’s Solidarity capitalized, but it’s not in quotes, whereas later in the text you have it capitalized and in quotes.”
Actor 1:
“I’m thinking that’s… the Solidarity of the labor movement.”
Actor 3
“It is the labor movement. That’s what I thought earlier. But then when we started talking about the two solidarities, I got lost.”
Actor 1:
“If it’s capitalized, it’s most likely…”
Actor 3:
“But why would the Soviets persuade the Poles to accept Solidarity?”
Actor 1:
“Well, he says later, it seems like the Soviets are coming into an agreement with the USA at the expense of Poland to fix their problems with the United States. Soviet Union was stuck in Afghanistan, so they couldn’t invade Poland.”
Actor 3:
“Got it.”
Actor 1:
“And to ‘take a firmer position,’ that’s kind of an example of the things that are not being said. What does it mean, ‘take a firmer position?’ I mean, that means… You know.”
Actor 3:
“Cracking down, right?”
Actor 2 lights a cigarette and takes a drag. As he exhales, the Kuroko appears from behind Actor 1 and places a metal cylinder on the table. The cylinder releases a big cloud of smoke.
End of scene.
Scene 2.
The tables and chairs are gone. In the center of the circle, down on the floor, four of the actors are doing physical exercises, movements. They gyrate their legs, arms, hips.
Starting as something between stretching and Yoga, the movements get progressively stranger. Eventually, two actors lie on the floor and cling to the legs of Actor 1 as he tries to walk. They put all their weight and strength into keeping him in place and he struggles to move.
Scene 3.
A dressing room has been set up in the middle of the floor. Suits, jackets, pants, belts, shirts, several dresses, and many ties are hanging on clothing racks positioned perpendicular to each other to create an enclosure.
A makeup table hosts a meticulous array of cosmetics, hairspray, combs, and brushes.
The camera slowly reveals, through openings in hanging clothes, Actor 1. His bare upper body is very pale. It shines in bright light. An art director and her assistant clothe him in a dress shirt, a tie, and a dress jacket. Their movements are precise and practiced. They chat as they work.
Actor 1 checks his appearance in a mirror held in place by the Kuroko, who is barely visible in the darkness.
Next, we see Actor 4 sitting as a makeup artist applies foundation to her face.
As the camera slowly circles the set, we now see Actor 1 being fitted with a flamboyant grey wig. It completely transforms his appearance.
The camera makes another circle. We see the Kuroko next to Actor 1, using a handheld steamer on his jacket. The steam rises towards the light like smoke.
Scene 4
All six actors are now inside the circle, dressed in full costume, makeup, and wigs. The men wear dark, boxy suits, circa 1980s fashion. The woman dons pearls and a brown evening dress patterned with beige dots.
Haze fills the room, now dim with focused lighting. A feeling of infinity presides: with the camera’s rotation, you cannot tell where the space begins or ends.
The actors choose their own positions. Some are moving. Others are static. They form smaller groups, then walk away and change positions. Their body language and vocal tone suggest superficial fortitude hiding deep anxiety.
They speak theatrically, projecting at an invisible audience.
Actor 1:
“Comrades,
I believe that everyone is familiar with the events in Poland. One of the leaders of ‘Solidarity’ known to be an anti-socialist in close connection with imperialist reactionary circles was given the task of forming the government.
In connection with that, on Saturday we took counsel with several comrades that could be found immediately, and we addressed a message to the Soviet leadership, and then separate messages to all the socialist countries.”
Actor 2:
“In corresponding manner, messages were also transmitted to all leaders of the socialist countries through ambassadors. All said that they would transmit the message immediately. Some also made their own comments, but all said that they were worried.”
Actor 3:
“We received the response of comrade Gorbachev to our message!”
Actor 4:
“The elaboration of an emergency plan should be established.”
Actor 2:
“At the same time, a meeting with comrade Gorbachev would constitute a powerful demonstration of the unity of our socialist countries, the affirmation of their solidarity and decisiveness for strengthening that solidarity.”
Actor 5:
“We have also just received a report regarding the position of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers’ Party on the problem of the formation of the new government and the current political situation.”
Actor 1:
“What is the position of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers’ Party?”
Actor 3:
“Comrades, the orientation of the Poles is in accord with that of the Soviet Union and I believe one could say even more, namely, that it is even taken on the advice of the Soviet Union.”
Actor 2:
“In my opinion, the advice is in error. It does not correspond to the interests of Poland, nor does it correspond to the cause of socialism in Poland, because it opens the path for ‘Solidarity’ which is, as it demonstrated over the last decade, an agency of foreign imperialism, in the first place of the United States of America.”
Actor 4:
“Although we do not know the situation completely, we believe that matters have become very serious.”
Actor 5:
“In any case, the Polish United Workers’ Party has pronounced in favor of maintaining an important role in political life. Of course, it is hard for us to say how things will evolve.”
Actor 3:
“I believe that the response that we gave to the Soviets, under these circumstances, is very good, and they, if they will agree, can persuade the Polish United Workers’ Party to take a firmer position. I believe, however, that the Poles incline toward the opinion of the Soviets, who persuade them to accept Solidarity.”
Actor 2:
“Now we discuss amongst ourselves?”
Actor 1:
“It has been 50 years since the Soviets divided up Poland with Germany and now it seems that there is an agreement with the USA at the expense of Poland, or an attempt to fix their problems with the USA at the expense of Poland.”
Actor 2:
“We must not allow this!”
Actor 4:
“We must act!”
Actor 5:
“Everything we discuss now is a strictly internal problem of the party.”
Actor 3:
“Nothing will be published!”
Actor 5:
“However, we must act…”
Actor 2:
“Maybe we should think, and we should address once again, today even, the leadership of the Polish United Workers’ Party. In any case, their position is somewhat clearer and, if they would see that they also found a certain support, without a doubt they would be encouraged to act.”
Actor 1:
“Of course, the problem is not whether they would receive representatives of ‘Solidarity’ in the government or not, but the handing over of the government leadership to the leadership of ‘Solidarity’ is very serious.”
Actor 4:
“The reception in the government of some representatives of “Solidarity” could be a solution, but, in my opinion, handing it over is serious. In the same manner, they publicize favorably the two formations that have changed their positions precisely because of the Soviet Union and, certainly, the pressures of the Americans and of the Western countries.”
Actor 1:
“I have been thinking that this afternoon, in my speech, I should refer to this problem as well…”
“I already have a reference to the beginning of the war, 50 years ago today, to the division of Poland and to the assistance that Romania gave her and that, after all, was the only assistance she received.”
“I refer to the fact that the Western countries did not respect their engagements and Romania did accord her all assistance. I said in the speech that Romania was the only state that accorded assistance and that is the reality.”
“After that, I was thinking of adding that, in the difficult situation that was created, we expressed our full solidarity with the party and with the Polish people and wish it, in full unity, to overcome this situation and we wish them complete solidarity.”
Actor 5:
“In a certain form we say the same also to Czechoslovakia, which, 50 years ago in 1939, was sacrificed.”2
“Comrades, do you agree that we should proceed in this way?”
All agree.
Actor 2:
“We will reflect a little longer to see how we can address the leadership of the Polish United Workers’ Party again.”
Actor 4:
“We no longer say anything to the other countries!”
Actor 3:
“In any case, we are insisting that Shevardnadze come here these days. He may come tomorrow, and the day after, because this may also persuade the Soviet leadership to reflect a bit.”
Actor 1:
“In the same manner, we have the impression that this position, after they said something else yesterday, at the closing of their Plenum, reflects a little a certain change.”
The Kuroko enters the scene, walks up to Actor 1 and starts adjusting his suit jacket.
“At the Plenum they said something else altogether and now there was something, something more real…”
Actor 2:
“We are in complete agreement with what you have said.”
Actor 1:
“Even more than before, the demonstration for 23 August must be a powerful anti-imperialist, anti-war manifestation against any imperialist interference in the socialist countries, for the unity of the socialist countries, for socialism.”
Actor 2:
“All propaganda must be seen in this sense, including in radio-television and in the press.”
Actor 3:
“We must firmly underscore this, our ‘23 August’3 should be a new ‘1939,’ but not ‘May 1,’ and the entire demonstration should be at the level of force that we represent now.”
Actor 4:
“Attention should be drawn to these manifestations at assemblies, at demonstrations, everywhere where they are held.”
Actor 1:
“With that, the meeting is concluded.”
End of scene.
In Kabuki, Kuroko serve many of the same purposes as a running crew. They aid in changes of props, costumes, and scenery. Kuroko wear head to toe black to imply that they are invisible and not part of the action onstage.
In 1938 Adolf Hitler annexed the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia. The loss of the Sudetenland greatly weakened Czechoslovak defenses. Moreover, Trans-Olza by the northeastern border was occupied and annexed to Poland, ostensibly to “protect” the local ethnic Polish community and its territorial claims. Hungary received southern Slovakia and Carpathian Ruthenia, which were largely inhabited by ethnic Hungarians. The Slovak state was proclaimed on 14 March 1939, and Hungary would occupy and annex the remainder of Carpathian Ruthenia the following day. On 15 March, in Berlin, the Czechoslovak president Emil Hácha was bullied into signing away his country’s independence. On 16 March, from Prague Castle, Hitler proclaimed the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.
Liberation Day, officially known as the Day of Liberation from Fascist Occupation (Romanian: Ziua eliberării de ocupația fascistă) was observed on 23 August in Communist Romania to celebrate the 1944 Romanian coup d’état, which had caused Romania to leave the Axis in World War II.