The pro-peace music video directed by filmmaker Gábor Klacsán is gathering accolades one after another, and he recently visited a film festival in the United States. Interview.
International accolades began to pour in for the introductory music video of the supergroup band Garda, which you directed and even handled the camerawork. How did this come about?
Yes, we are very happy to hear so much good news! This is the result of a real, typical Hungarian collaboration. Talented people came together for a common goal, to convey a message important to all of them - to the world.
"Breathe!" the song and the music video made for it are markedly anti-war. I think that's a brave thing to do these days.
Among the musicians, I would like to single out István Alapi, the legendary guitarist of EDDA, and the singer Zsuzsi Garda, the creators of the final version of the song. The basic idea of the clip comes from drummer Zoltán Wirth, who is also the owner of the pro-government Hírklikk, to put it mildly, and my childhood friend. Even when we were young, we talked, politicized and debated a lot about world affairs, especially nowadays, but in the current historical situation, we both believe that social cohesion and dialogue between political formations should be strengthened, because this can be the interest of Hungary's existence.
Familiar password.
Tectonic movements have started in world politics, around the dominant empires or – if you prefer – power centers, everything is creaking and changing rapidly. We are living in a dangerous age, and I think it is better if in a small country those who think differently turn to each other. As for the clip, the war is also one of the events of this era change.
I am convinced that what lies ahead of us is the beginning of a dark historical era.
Serious discussions preceded the planning of the work, and Zoli and I thought a lot about the best possible way to implement the idea: we precisely planned every element of the story, then they went down to a basement, and we shot the clip in two days. The end product also seems to be well done and achieve its goal. According to the creators, there can be no dispute about one thing: all forms of war are unacceptable! Those who support it - I know that the various "war fan bases, fans of other people's blood" will not be happy about this - are actually complicit in murder. Who would have the right to send anyone to die anywhere?
At the same time, this is a tough policy, considering the domestic and European disputes regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war. However, according to the mainstream, anyone who demands a ceasefire supports one side, namely the Russians.
They are talking about something they really know nothing about and have no direct experience of. What is war? From a distance, profit, rubrics, sums, ledgers, then maps. It looks different up close. For example, it also has a smell. Anyone who has been to such a place knows. Masses of people are sent to kill against their will to kill those they are also sent there to kill against their will. I am neither an EU political scientist nor a war expert, let alone a fan, but our politicians should find the right answer to the contradictions of our time at the table! Unfortunately, they are clearly unable to do so.
The future of continents is decided by people who have often failed in their own profession. They push the tanks here and there. I don't know if it even occurs to them for a moment how much human misery and suffering they are causing with this?
But I know exactly why I hate war: because I saw it up close. I watched it with a camera more than once, and it wasn't good. It doesn't look like that from the room. People sit in front of the TV or the Internet, they see small camouflage figures running, then pop up, and then they switch off to whatever. It doesn't work there. When a conflict escalates, children, women, and old people die one after the other. Because war is just that. Returning to the Garda clip, we also completely agreed on these things when formulating our message. As one person, regardless of worldview, we shout for an end to this!
The full interview can be read on Mandine!
Featured image: Gábor Klacsán in the United States/Source: Facebook
