Ivan Herm. Film Director. Lives in Odessa. Has his studio at the former ship repair factory SRZ.
@iv_herm
Studied film in Poland for four years. After he finished film school he returned to Ukraine. Even though there are much more possibilities for him as a film director in Poland he feels that Ukraine speaks to him. When walking on the streets in Ukraine, seeing and listing to people he gets an inner reflection that he did not experience in Poland even though he had learned to speak Polish.
“Maybe because Ukraine compared with Poland is a more chaotic place,” Ivan says. “In Poland, things are formalized and controlled while in Ukraine things are uncontrolled, so people much easier go to an extreme point. People have the last decades learned their lesson and know that they can’t plan a fucking thing. The only thing you can trust in is yourself and your chance to enjoy life. People, therefore, live more day to day and don’t think about what will happen to them in five or ten years.”
While in Poland he stopped dreaming when he slept. However, the dream returned when he went back to Ukraine. Dreams are an important part of his work as an artist. He tries to follow the ideas he finds in his dreams and believes that instead of having just one fixed reality you exist somewhere else simultaneously e.g. in your dreams. The thing he likes about dreams is that in your dreams you have to be involved in whatever happens and whatever your situation is, you can’t just close your eyes or walk away. Instead, you can learn more about yourself if you look closer to your dreams.
“There is some sort of energy going on there. Your dreams show that you are not quite the person you think you are. They tell you that there is something unknown inside you and in the world around you. Dreams can surprise you, and take you on a journey of discovery which you can use to enrich both your art and your life.”
Photo: Sila Yalazan
Text: Steen Andersen
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