The Battle Over Mazepa (2023)

The Battle Over Mazepa (2023) poster

The film conceptualises the historical significance and contemporary perception of Ivan Mazepa, a political and military leader of the Zaporizhian Sich and Left-bank Ukraine in the late-17th and early-18th century. Addressing codes of hip-hop culture, Ridnyi borrows the popular form of a rap battle to collide two great works of world literature associated with this historical figure: Mazeppa by Lord Byron in 1819 and Poltava by Alexander Pushkin in 1828–29. While Byron envisions Mazepa as a romantic hero, seized by love, Pushkin portrays him as a traitor in accordance with the colonial attitude of the Russian Empire. Highlighting the confrontation of these two texts, Ridnyi invited four rappers from different national and cultural backgrounds to write and perform their response to the poets’ lyrics.

Director: Mykola Ridnyi
Runtime: 20 min
Release Date:

Cast

Editing: Mats Meisen
Country: Germany
Language: English
Original Language: en
More Films by Director: Mykola Ridnyi

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Battle Over Mazepa about?
The film conceptualises the historical significance and contemporary perception of Ivan Mazepa, a political and military leader of the Zaporizhian Sich and Left-bank Ukraine in the late-17th and early-18th century. Addressing codes of hip-hop culture, Ridnyi borrows the popular form of a rap battle to collide two great works of world literature associated with this historical figure: Mazeppa by Lord Byron in 1819 and Poltava by Alexander Pushkin in 1828–29. While Byron envisions Mazepa as a romantic hero, seized by love, Pushkin portrays him as a traitor in accordance with the colonial attitude of the Russian Empire. Highlighting the confrontation of these two texts, Ridnyi invited four rappers from different national and cultural backgrounds to write and perform their response to the poets’ lyrics.
Who directed The Battle Over Mazepa?
The Battle Over Mazepa was directed by Mykola Ridnyi.
Who stars in The Battle Over Mazepa?
The Battle Over Mazepa stars Eleanor Philpott, Moh Alghanem Salih, Cassianne Lawrence, Exo.
How long is The Battle Over Mazepa?
The Battle Over Mazepa has a runtime of 20m (20 minutes).
Where was The Battle Over Mazepa produced?
The Battle Over Mazepa was produced in Germany.