BFI Flare Review: ‘Firebird’
A towering, cathartic and emotionally powerful film, anchored by excellent lead performances from stars Tom Prior and Oleg Zagorodnii.
There is a burning intensity that permeates throughout every second of Firebird, the feature-length narrative directorial debut from director Peeter Rebane. A fiery sense of passion that lingers in every frame. A tangible feeling of authenticity that is largely absent in many other movies of a similar nature. These features all come together to create a monumental, cathartic and emotionally generous film, anchored by excellent lead performances from stars Tom Prior and Oleg Zagorodnii.
Based on a true story, Firebird is set during the Cold War, in the midst of the Soviet Air Force. Troubled young private, Sergey (Prior), is anxiously awaiting the day his military service ends when his life is suddenly turned upside down by the arrival of daring fighter pilot, Roman (Zagorodnii). Driven by curiosity, Sergey and Roman navigate the precarious line between love and friendship as a dangerous love triangle forms between them and Luisa (Diana Pozharskaya), the secretary to the base Commander. Sergey is forced to face his past as Roman’s career is endangered and Luisa struggles to keep her family together. As the walls close in, they risk their freedom and their lives in the face of an escalating KGB investigation and the fear of the all-seeing Soviet regime.
Written by Prior and Rebane, Firebird’s central plotline isn’t exactly the most original; between Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain and more recently, Celine Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire, there have been a number of movies that have successfully attempted to explore homosexuality and queer relationships in eras and settings where they have largely been forbidden or considered taboo. But what makes Firebird stand out amongst a line-up of such excellent and impactful films is the wholly unique and individual voice with which Prior and Rebane tackle their characters’ journeys, with the duo seamlessly weaving the fleeting, lingering and touching moments between Sergey and Roman, those that say much more about their relationship than words ever could, in between scenes of a larger scale and more intense nature (specifically the frantically-paced war scenes that occasionally sprinkled throughout the film’s first act) in a way that never feels forced or jarring.
That, however, would not have been possible if it weren’t for the excellent lead performances from Prior and Zagorodnii, who courageously dive headfirst into the material and emerge with touching, haunting and realistic portrayals of passion, grief and inner turmoil. Prior, in particular, is the heart and soul of the film, excellently navigating both Sergey’s initial earnestness and optimism, and his latter conflicted and jaded nature in a way that never rings false. He expertly employs subtle shifts in his character’s body language and demeanor to perfectly mirror his tumultuous journey, exposing the character’s vulnerabilities and his headspace in the process. Roman, however, is much more closed off than Sergey, his struggles with his sexuality always hinted at but never explicitly illustrated, and Zagorodnii manages to imbue his portrayal of the character with enough charm and nuance to bring layers to his stoic nature and carefully constructed facade.
Aided with gorgeous visuals courtesy of cinematographer Mait Mäekivi and a towering, sprawling score from composer Krzysztof A. Janczak, Rebane and Prior have managed to create a stunning, powerful, simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming ode to love, and its ability to both salvage and destroy, one that audiences will undoubtedly be able to connect with on a universal level.
Rating: 5/5
Firebird screened at the BFI Flare Festival in March 2021.