Chaika (Miguel Ángel Jiménez Colmenar 2012): Georgia,Kazakhstan,Russia,Spain

Reviewed by Cecilia Gonzalez. Viewed at Metropolitan Metro 4, Santa Barbara

What is a Chaika? Besides being seductive, she wears make-up; bright red lipstick, she has long black hair and carries a mysterious aura about herself. This is the definition I formed by watching the film, however, after doing some research, and analyzing the astronomical introduction of the film I discovered–thanks to wikipedia, that the connection to Chaika and the space shuttle was in reference to the 1934 main-belt asteroid that was discovered by Neujmin G. The asteroid was named Chaika after the Russian name for seagull which commemorates the call sign of cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman astronaut. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1671_Chaika)
The only clear perception I had was that Chaika is ambitious to live somewhere else, and become someone else. She is a former prostitute/stripper, and becomes pregnant with a baby boy. She is befriended by a male friend who forms an attraction and love for Chaika. It appears that Chaika is trying to discover who she wants to be and where it is she wants to establish that identity. She has a son she carries responsibility for and wants a good life for him.
Throughout the majority of the film I was trying to discover what the central theme or plot of the film was. Amongst all the beauty of the scenery and landscapes in the background, the dialogue seemed to lack heart throughout the middle of the film. The story carried a philosophical entity throughout it as well, but lacked digging deeper and producing a more concrete plot, or moral within the story. Although it was clear that Chaika was trying to escape her dirty, and insecure lifestyle as a prostitute, it was unclear as to where it was she wanted to be. The Russian landscapes that surrounded Chaika and her husband were very industrial. They were looking at a space shuttle that was taking off. Chaika asks her boyfriend if that’s the life he wants to live, or “don’t you wan’t to live better?” He whole heartedly and very sweetly responds, “All I want is you.” This is the point in the film that I found to be the most powerful. Chaika has finally found her place in life, and that’s with that man.
I wasn’t able to figure out what the overall message of the film was, but from my understanding it was about being able to overcome your struggles in life to get to a place where you are happy. Chaika makes a reference to the name Chaika at the end of the film after her and her boyfriend watch the space-shuttle take off, in which she states that her mom called her her “Chaika”. I think this inspired Chaika to fly away, much like a seagull. She wanted to fly to different places, and form a better life for herself and her son wherever it is she ends up. This film doesn’t clearly send you these messages, but you have to put the pieces together yourself to figure out the true meaning behind each piece of the story.