简介：Asocialdrama.TheperiodoftheSecondWorldWarinTurkmenia.InCentralAsiathedeportationprogramoftheSovietcitizensofGermanoriginbegins.AlladultsaretakentocampsinSiberiaandchildrenareputinorphanages.Thesix-yearoldGeorghidesfromtheRedsoldiersandfindshimselfleftalmostaloneinhis,nowabandoned,Germanvillage.Thehorrifyingrealitysetsin.Thedailyroutineofhislifeisshocking:Whattoeat?HowtotakecareofhissickfriendYashka?HowtoburyAuntLisa?Undertheseinhumancircumstances,thesoulofGeorgremainsmiraculouslyuncorrupted–hestillbelievesinLittleAngelfromachildren’ssong,andhemakesanestforitinatree.Amiracletakesplace:sometimesaglassofmilkisleftforGeorginthenest;sometimesanearofcorn… AGermanchildren’ssongsoundsstrangeatthebeginningofaTurkmenfilm.Theopeningscenedoesn’tseemlessaparadoxthanthesoundtrack:Europeanchildrenruninapoppyfieldandobserveadesertdweller–aturtle.Thisistheendofthechildren’sparadise.Whentheycomebacktotheirvillage,theyfindtheirfrightenedparents,theRedArmysoldiersandafewwagons.ThedeportationofGermansisdeclared.TheywillbetakenfromthisvillagetoSiberia.Thetitleofthefileappearslikeaprayer:"LittleAngel,MakeMeHappy."ItisthefirstfilmduringtheSovietandpost-SovietperiodinwhichGermansareportrayedsympathetically.Forthefirsttime,theideologicaldivision"GoodorBad"gainsanewside–"dependsontheperson." TheideologicalstereotypesoftheSovietperiodneverconsideredanindividualityofamemberofagroup.TheRussianBolshevikswerealwaysthegoodguys;theGermanFascistswerealwaysthebadguys;andallotherethnics–Turkmen,Kazakhs,Moldavians,etc.–hadtoalwaystrytobecomeliketheir"olderRussianbrothers."UsmanSaparovdrawstheethicallinenotbetweentheethnicgroupsbutbetweentheindividualqualitiesofpeople.Inthefilm,onlyariverdividespeople:onaonesidequietTurkmenlive,acrosstheriverthereisaGermanvillage,inwhichRussiansmoveinaftertheGermandeportation.Duringhardshipanddangers,thelittleGeorgrunseithertotheGermansideoftheriver–toMamaBerta,anolddisabledlady,andAuntLisawiththenineyearoldAmaliaandanewbornbaby,andafewkids,whowereabletohidefromtheRussiansoldiers–ortotheTurkmenside–totheboyOrazkaandGrandpaNepes-Aga.Georgdoesn’tfullycomprehenddeathandishappytocometoTurkmentraditionalpost-funeraldinners,wherethelittlehungryboycaneatsometimes.AidcomesonlyfromtheTurkmensideoftheriver;ontheGermansidethereareonlyarrests,thesoldiers’indifferenceorrage. AuntLisafeedsthreechildrenwithherbreastmilk–thetwoofherownandthelittleGeorgbecausethereisnothingelsetoeatintheGermanvillage.OntopofitGeorg’sfriendYashkacomestothevillageinthewinter.Hehasrunawayfromanorphanageandcomestohishomevillagesick,skinny,coveredwithsoresandtheemptywornouteyesofanoldman.SoonYashkadiesandTurkmencometowashhisbodyandburyitwiththefullrespectduetoaneighbor.SomeTurkmenarenotsuchgreatneighbors.ATurkmenfunctionaryaccusesGrandpaNepes-AgaofburyingYashka,an"enemyofpeople,"withfullrespectandreportshimtotheRussiansoldiers.GrandpaNepes-Agagetsarrestedthenextmorning.Theeventsdevelopwithahorrifyingspeed.AuntLisadies.Andnowthechildrenwrapherbodyinasheetanddragittowardsthecemeterytobury.Amailmanseesthishorrendousscene,turnsaroundhisbicycleandfleesfromit,likefromtheplague.AtthispointdisabledMamaBertastandsup–itishardtotellwhethersheisarealpersonorametaphorfortheGermanspirit. Thefilmdirectorshowstheworldturnedupsidedown.Itisunheardofthatchildrenburygrownups!Underthethreatofarrest,TurkmenmensendthechildrenoffandburyAuntLisabythemselves. ThestorytoldbyUsmanSaparovtouchesoneofthemostcomplexproblems–WhatisMotherland?"WhatisTurkmeniatoaGermanandwhatisaGermantoTurkmenia?""Germanman"is"nemetz"intheRussianlanguage.Theword"nemetz"originatedasa"foreigner,"a"personwhodoesn’tspeaktheRussianlanguage,"–a"muteperson."ThelittleGermanboyrepresentsa"Non-Asian"livinginAsia,butforwhomCentralAsiaisatrue"non-historical"motherland. CentralAsiahasalwaysbeenameltingpotofvariousethnicgroups.Someethnicitiescametobeextinct;somewerenewlyformed.Forcenturiesdifferenttribesandethnicgroupslivedasgoodneighbors,mutuallyenrichingeachother.ThisfilmbyUsmanSaparovbrilliantlydemonstratesacontactofrepresentativesoftwoverydifferentethnicgroups,culturesandworldviews.Hedemonstratesalltheseaspectsascompletelycompatibleandmutuallybeneficial,andheemphasizesthatonlypoliticssetspeopleapart. IfIhadtochoosethetoptenfilmsofallpeopleandtimes,LittleAngel,MakeMeHappybyUsmanSaparovwouldbedefinitelyonthislist.Thefilmreachesthevieweronseverallevels:narrativestorytelling,socialmessage,historicalfact,culturalobservation,and,finally,profoundemotionalrevelation.ThisiswhythepicturereceivedGrandPrizesatsixinternationalfilmfestivals,andmanyotherawards.WhatmakesmewonderisthatUsmanSaparov,afilmdirectorofsuchtalent,wasforcedtoemigratefromhishomelandTurkmenia.Now,inRussia,heworksasatelevisiondirectorofchildren’sprograms.…