Interview: Peeter Rebane on the gay romantic drama "Firebird"

by Nathaniel R

Writer/Director Peeter Rebane (left) and his narrative feature debut "Firebird"

Sometimes timelessness is a curse. We don't neccessarily want period pieces about forbidden oppressed gay romances to feel especially resonate in the now. Neverthless that's what's happened with Firebird. Peeter Rebane's narrative debut, which recently opened in select cities, tells the true story of a gay soldier and his clandestine romance with a fighter pilot in a Russian airforce base in Estonia during the Cold War. The film has been in the works for ten years but in the interim Russian culture has become more virulently anti-gay (stoked by homophobic 'strong-man' Putin) and aggressive about it; please see the tremendous documentary Welcome to Chechnya if you haven't. At the moment Russia is also waging war on Ukraine which adds yet more unexpected charge to the film since one of the two leads playing Russian military men, Oleg Zagorodnii, is Ukrainian. 

When I sat down with the director Peeter Rebane, we talked about all this, as well as co-writing with his openly gay leading actor (Tom Prior), directing sex scenes, and homophobia in former Soviet countries... 

Tom Prior as "Sergey" and Oleg Zagorodnii as "Roman" in FIREBIRD. © Roadside Attractions

[The following interview has been edited for length and clarity]

NATHANIEL: Did you first narrative feature feel like a big step for you?

PEETER REBANE: Absolutely. It's been a dream and it's been amazing to see it go into hundreds of cinemas around the world (starting in the UK) and to have amazing people taking care of it in America from Roadside Attractions. 

What did you learn directing documentaries and music videos that helped here?

I think from the music side, the written and the visual. It's a very interesting medium to work with. 'How do I create an emotion in three minutes?' And from documentaries being present and being observational. I think documentary is harder to make than narrative film, honestly. You're telling a story which is purely observational. I'm not forcing a point of view, but rather observing somebody and letting them speak and letting them feel. And in a way, that's what you need to do with the actors on the set [in a narrative feature]. You need to create an environment where they're able to experiment and offer you believable moments. 

And when you're dealing with romantic drama, especially, I assume you need that intimacy with the actors since they have to perform that for you.

I think we we've all seen the films where you are like, 'Nope, I don't believe it. I don't buy it that they actually care for each other.'

[Laughter] I must admit upfront that I don't know a lot about Estonia, your home country. I'm curious about the climate for LGBTQ people there. It's a Post Soviet country and a lot of them are anti-gay. But Estonia is actually part of the European Union, so... not quite the same? 

PEETER REBANE: We've come a long way in Estonia. A lot of the former Soviet countries are indeed very anti-gay, but, Estonia was actually the first country of the Bloc to adopt an equal rights partnership law in 2013 around the time Russia came out with its horrific laws against "homosexual propaganda," which flourished and have now been copied nine years later. I honestly, I thought it was a bad joke when I saw the news at first. I couldn't believe that could even be happening in a US State! 

I know.

But it was nice to see how Firebird was received when we premiered in Estonia. It was released in pretty much all multiplexes across the country as wide as, you know, James Bond or The Avengers would get. 

Wow.

And Tom and Oleg and I did quite a few Q&As in different towns. And it was really cool to see that 90% of the audiences were typical audiences -- boys, girls, younger, older -- and I mean at least visibly, not part of the LGBT community. Obviously it's made by and for the community but I think it's so important that these stories get seen by people who have the most to learn from them, to widen their horizons.

You started working on this ten years ago. Did you have any sense that it was going to be even more relevant upon release?

PEETER REBANE:  I had no idea. Our co lead Oleg is Ukrainian and currently stuck in Kiev, We've been writing letters to the Minister of Culture, asking permission for him to come to our premieres and press days, to get out of the country. I never imagined the the world could face something like the current situation. Last year, we were actually accepted into the Moscow International Film festival. And I thought, 'wow, things must really be changing in Russia, that they would actually accept such a love story.' But it was somebody who was just really brave in the festival team because our film basically got banned, technically speaking. They shut down all tickets sales and played it to an empty cinema.

Wow. Your other lead actor, Tom Prior, is credited as a co-writer so I take it he got involved very early? 

The story actually reached me through a mutual friend in Berlin. I was like 'I have to turn this into a film' and then I  started writing. When I felt it was ready, another mutual friend, a film producer from LA introduced Tom and I. We shot two scenes for financers as a proof of concept. Obviously, most of all, to prove that I can actually direct. And then Tom started making some subtle comments and suggestions of how to improve the story, how to really make it more understandable and relateable to Western audiences. And that led to co-writing for another two years.

Here in America casting for queer roles is a big topic. Some people feel only openly gay actors should be cast in gay roles. How do you feel about that? 

Being an openly gay director, I believe the best person should get the job. But I want to make a distinction here. I think trans characters is a very different story because there is a physical quality and a very different experience. And having had a very close trans friend who sadly passed away some years ago, I would be very strongly saying that if I need someone to play a trans character, I absolutely want a trans actor.

Sexuality otherwise should not be the main criteria of hiring. If you say only hire gay actors to play gay roles that implies that only straight actors should be playing straight roles. So if we want like equal rights, we have to, I think, accept the fact that everyone deserves to show their talent and do their job. And if a straight actor is more believable in the role, I would hire them.

I understand. It's interesting to hear points of view about this. 

It is more fun, of course, working with a cast that, let's say, really relates to the story!

[Laughter] I would guess that the biggest shift from making documentaries to a romantic drama is that suddenly there are sex scenes. Listening to various interviews over the years people seem to hate doing them!

PEETER REBANE: No, no, I love it. [Laughter] I gave total freedom to Tom and Oleg. Me and the Director of Photography and the two of them went to the set one evening and we played it out as to what they felt would be natural? What would happen? What is the through line?  And as a writer and director, it was really important to me that this it's not just about physical sex, but it's about two people meeting, their souls meeting. So it's all about intimacy and, and I think they did an amazing job. We shot it in a way that really emphasizes that intimacy, that touch, that connection. Otherwise it becomes pornography and that's boring. 

Between bringing Tom on as a co-writer and letting your leads shape the sex scenes, it sounds like you think of film more as a collaborative medium, rather than one person's vision. 

Absolutely. I could not take any credit almost. I think a good director is like a company manager. You find the best people who have very clear vision and you correct them if they go out of the vision. But the idea is that everybody is better at what they do than you! That's the ideal world. Obviously there are some directors who are dictators and who don't accept any other opinions. But, for me, unless it's a critical moment and you don't have time and have to become a dictator, generally you want this openness that everyone can offer suggestions and you find what really works the best.

Well, it was a pleasure to talk to you and congratulations on the film. I hear your next film is going to be about Estonian refugees. How far along is that? 

I actually cowrote the draft with Tom and then we put it to sleep when we started production on Firebird. Again, it's kind of mad, but this subject has become so relevant now. But first Firebird has to spread its wings. Then we'll see what's next.

Firebird is currently in theaters and arrives on digital and VOD in the US and Canada on June 3rd.

Comments

[Jans]

It's such a lovely movie...oh I didn't know that one of the leads is gay until now. Hopefully, Russia will back down from the current war - they're TRULY anti-gay. I was on vacation in Russia in 2013 and I remember I was terrified to hear anti-gay slurs from people like local tour guides and airbnb owners. It's almost like everyone is singing to the same tune. Much as I enjoy the sights, I could hardly wait to get out of the country.

[Jans]

It's such a lovely movie...oh I didn't know that one of the leads is gay until now. Hopefully, Russia will back down from the current war - they're TRULY anti-gay. I was on vacation in Russia in 2013 and I remember I was terrified to hear anti-gay slurs from people like local tour guides and airbnb owners. It's almost like everyone is singing to the same tune. Much as I enjoy the sights, I could hardly wait to get out of the country.

[Tyler]

I really want to see this. Oleg Zagorodnil is gorgeous.