"Khatyn" is a place where the past speaks to us without words. The exhibition "Look and Remember..." became a continuation of this memory - an artistic and emotional dialogue between generations, a reminder of pain, of heroism, of the fact that forgetting is unacceptable. The exhibition project was prepared jointly with Belarusian State Archive of Film, Photo, and Sound Documents and the Museum of the History of Belarusian Cinema, a branch of the National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus.
The exhibition features unique photographs from the film set, pages of handwritten scripts, old posters and much more.
“Come and See” is not just a film. It is an artistic document, a piercing reflection on the tragedy of war, the fragility of human life and the importance of memory. It is a work that cannot be forgotten – it continues to speak, to disturb, to awaken hearts.
At the opening of the exhibition, Antonina Karpilova, head of the screen arts department of the Center for Research of Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, PhD in art history, spoke with welcoming words. She noted the uniqueness of Elem Klimov's film and its significance as a cultural and historical phenomenon that deeply influenced the perception of the war by many generations.
As part of the event, Antonina Karpilova also presented her book "Watch and Remember. The Great Patriotic War in Belarusian Cinema." The publication tells about Belarusian films dedicated to the war, about directors, cameramen, actors, animation masters and documentary photographers who preserved tragic and heroic pages of history through screen art.
Stepanova Valentina, film scholar, member of the Presidium of Belarusian Union of Cinematographers, emphasized the importance of preserving memory through art and the significance of such exhibitions for future generations.
Adamovich Natalia, philologist, museum worker and daughter of the writer Ales Adamovich, the author of the film’s script, shared personal memories and spoke about her father’s work on this great work.
At the opening of the exhibition, Dmitry Viltovsky, director of memorial complex “Khatyn”, presented letters of gratitude to the students of detachment “Bagration-1” for their assistance in the work. He noted that the participation of young people in the work of the memorial is a living connection of times and a contribution to the preservation of historical truth.
The ceremony dedicated to the opening of the exhibition “Look and Remember” was attended by Olga Ivanova, research fellow at the Museum of the History of Belarusian Cinema, a branch of the National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus, and Andrei Gonchar, director of Belarusian State Archive of Film, Photo, and Sound Documents.
Concluding the official part, the audience was shown a documentary film by Alexander Efremov, “The Story of the Film ‘Come and See’” (1985) – a chronicle of the creation of a great work that became the voice of an entire era.
After the official opening of the exhibition, the guests of honor were given a tour of the museum and the open complex, with a visit to the temple. All guests left their wishes and gratitude in the book of honored guests.
Memorial Complex “Khatyn” expresses its sincere gratitude to everyone who provided support and assistance in organizing the exhibition “Look and Remember,” dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the film “Come and See”.
The exhibition "Look and Remember..." is an act of memory. It is a voice that sounds through the decades. It is a reminder that to remember is to live. And to preserve memory means to prevent evil from happening again.
To remember is to live. Look and remember...
