We leave Poland and head further east to Russia where we have ‘The Sect’. Created by Frenchman Gela Babluani, an award-winning director, this is a dark and haunting series that delves into the murky world of kidnapping, paranoia and brain-washing. It’s a tough (but rewarding) watch, as Gela acknowledges: “I guess the subject itself is really difficult. The biggest challenge was to create the realistic path for our characters, to find the right psychological mind set for each of them. How far the manipulation can go and what are the consequences of our faith? I think those questions are in the heart of our show which reflects the global society of our days. The structure of the cult is a State itself. I think it’s always a challenge to get into a specific world, and especially into this type of one.”
There are very few Russian shows that gain international acclaim, but Gela feels this could buck that trend: “On the writing of this project I was closely working with my friend, the amazing producer-writer Anton Shykin. Since the very beginning, our goal was to make the show not just for the local audience, but also for international market. We really tried to conserve the local flavour and reality but it had to be accessible for anyone, doesn’t matter if the person is familiar with Russian culture or not. So we are really excited that The Sect crossed borders and we hope that British audience will enjoy our show. Eastern countries are extremely interesting, and they have a lot of amazing stories to tell. The cultural background of those countries are very unique and cinematic. The challenge is how to make them interesting and accessible for a Western audience. Local codes with strong cultural identity are usually hard to translate.”
I ask if he thinks the current pandemic might be a potential breeding-ground for conspiracy theorists who might be drawn to cults and sects, as depicted in the show. Gela isn’t so sure: “Hopefully not, but with millions of people losing their jobs all over the planet, this pandemic is a huge challenge for humanity.” And how has he coped during these unprecedented times? Has he rediscovered any forgotten talents? “To be honest, not really. Similar to one of Covid’s symptoms when people are losing the taste and smell, I have temporarily lost an appetite for discovering new things. In fact, I have turned more inward towards my family, and spending more time with my son who is now with me because of the state of things in New York. When the entire world is confused and people are suffering, it’s hard to stay focused on your work or discover new pleasures. But hopefully everything will get better very soon.” Amen to that!
