Time

Person Speaking,

lower thirds/ text on screen

Dialogue

0:00:23-0:00:47

Piano teacher

There. Right here... 

What do you want to say here?

A prayer. You’re pleading…

Understand?

0:01:23-0:01:36

Antoinette 

When I tried to play what I was meant to play the instrument made me feel aggressive.

I thought: “God, how useless you are!”

0:01:42-0:01:52

Antoinette

It was an inner protest.

The discord between what I was doing and what was happening.

0:02:19-0:02:21

Crowd

Shame! Shame!

0:02:42-0:02:43

Man

Stop.

0:03:04-0:03:10

Man

Move that plank.

0:03:10-0:03:10

Man

Please.

0:03:27-0:03:42

Antoinette

When we pushed our way through 

the crowd I saw the instrument. I didn’t realise at once that it was a piano. So I asked the people who

were standing beside it talking:

0:03:42-0:04:02

Antoinette

"Why is there a piano here and what do you plan to do with it?” They said: "What do you mean?! We’re in danger. It’s big, so we’re carrying it to the barricade." And then I almost burst into tears. I said: "It can’t go on the barricades! It’s an instrument, so 

it should be played!”

0:04:02-0:04:09

Antoinette

They looked at me and began to move it. "OK, walk in front of us and disperse the people.”

0:04:12-0:04:14

Antoinette

Make way! They’re carrying a piano!

0:04:20-0:04:27

Woman

Stop. Put it down. Get a shovel. We’ll

clear a little away.

0:04:30-0:04:31

Man

It’s a Ukraine piano!

0:04:47-0:04:49

Antoinette

What shall I play?

0:04:49-0:04:50

Voice from the crowd

The National Anthem!

0:04:51-0:05:02

Antoinette

Ukraine’s glory has not yet   died, nor her freedom, upon us, compatriots, fate

0:05:02-0:05:07

Antoinette

shall smile once more.

0:05:07-0:06:05

Crowd

Our enemies will vanish, Like dew in the morning sun, And we too shall rule, brothers, in a free land of our own. Souls and bodies we will lay down, All for our freedom. And we will show that we, brothers, are of the Cossack nation. Glory to Ukraine!

0:06:05-0:06:30

Pianist (covered face)

I went outside to have a smoke. And saw the instrument.

A piano painted in the national colours. I remembered that I used to play. I might remember something... Why not try? Although for the last five or six years I haven’t touched a piano.

0:06:39-0:06:57

Pianist (covered face)

In school I only played technically, I didn’t put my heart in it. How can you feel it when

you’re afraid of the examiners? My teachers told me to imagine the sea. What sea? My leg’s trembling and I have sweaty palms...

You’re afraid of getting a “C” grade.

0:07:35-0:07:48

Lyudmila

When I was passing the headquarters I saw the piano I’m a concert pianist and I couldn’t just pass by. The poor piano was completely out of tune out there in the cold

0:07:48-0:07:52

Lyudmila

and it probably wouldn’t have done to play Chopin.

0:08:38-0:08:41

Vladimir

Hrushevsky Street was a kind of buffer zone.

0:08:42-0:08:58

Vladimir

Separated by ice and whatever there was. It was a 50-70 meter strip between us and the Interior Forces.

0:08:58-0:09:01

Vladimir

We faced each other but no one knew what to do.

0:09:16-0:09:23

Woman

Let the boys with the sacks through! Be careful, it’s slippery!

0:09:23-0:10:00

Woman

I wanted to take something tasty to the Maidan, some home cooking. To cheer up the boys on Hrushevsky Street. I decided to make some potato pancakes. I asked my daughter: "Shall I only give the pancakes to our boys, or perhaps, to Berkut on the other side of the barricades?" I even dressed up specially. I walked through the black crowd in a white jacket and white hat, like a white flag.

0:10:15-0:10:25

Antoinette

We knew there had to be at least twenty people in the square for Berkut not to be allowed to disperse the crowd.

0:10:30-0:10:45

Antoinette

The most important thing was to stop people falling asleep. So I sang and played for them. Then it was easier for them to stay alert. They said it kept their spirits up.

0:11:13-0:11:18

Пиано-экстимист

Pianist (covered face)

I had a family, we were expecting a child. But it happened that my wife fell ill

0:11:18-0:12:12

Пиано-экстимист

Pianist (covered face)

in the last months of pregnancy.  She fell ill... and they couldn’t save her. It was unexpected... The illness caused a premature birth. My wife died. The baby survived. It lived another month. But they couldn’t save it. My son died after a month.

0:12:28-0:12:43

Пиано-экстимист

Pianist (covered face)

I feel we live from tragedy to tragedy and our entire life is like that. I couldn’t care what happened to me.

0:12:43-0:13:00

Пиано-экстимист

Pianist (covered face)

Maybe for that reason I wasn’t so afraid in Hrushevsky Street. I thought if they killed me it would only be better. I’d stop suffering. My senseless life would be over.

0:13:15-0:13:23

Crowd

All together! Keep pushing! Keep pushing!

0:13:44-0:13:53

Нищук З/К

Nyschuk

We set up this beautiful instrument on the barricade. Painted pianos are appearing all over Ukraine; in maidans, in squares: blue and yellow pianos.

0:13:54-0:13:59

Нищук З/К

Nyschuk

We’re against aggression, so we’re having a little concert today.

0:14:35-0:14:38

Ruslana

?

Are you having a party or are we, boys?

0:14:37-0:14:38

Ruslana

?

Russian pop versus Beethoven.

0:14:42-0:14:49

Ruslana

I’m talking to you, boys. To the boys of the Interior Forces. It’s a pity there’s that helmet.

0:14:50-0:14:56

Ruslana

Not a helmet in the literal sense, but a helmet inside everything. There’s a helmet in the heart.

0:14:56-0:15:01

Ruslana

You think: "Here I am with my shield and helmet, so I’m right about everything."

0:15:02-0:15:20

Ruslana

Unfortunately it’s not like that. I managed to say the most important thing. Great music! Let’s give it up. At least we achieved a success: music united the barricades. At least we managed that.

0:15:23-0:15:45

Antoinette

The instrument was set up on a burnt-out bus. They put some steps up by the platform, but they were a bit rickety. I was afraid I’d fall and break my arms and legs. Someone came up to me and asked: "Are you afraid? Are you afraid of Berkut?"

0:16:22-0:16:48

Antoinette

The government played a vulgar Russian song loud on the screens which were facing Berkut. It drowned everything out. I thought that since they were trying to fight against us with their song, I decided to fight against them with my music.

0:18:07-0:18:10

Woman

I beg you! Stop shooting! Stop killing!

0:18:34-0:18:44

Vladimir

My son called at three in the morning. He said: "Dad, come and get me... My head’s cut open, I’m in St. Michael's Monastery."

0:18:44-0:18:57

Vladimir

So there was no choice, because parents followed their children, children followed their parents, wives followed their husbands... Because it’s better when you’re not alone...

0:20:48-0:20:56

Voice from the crowd

Kiev - rise up! Ukraine - rise up!

0:20:59-0:21:06

Crowd

Out with the criminals!

0:21:09-0:21:47

Vladimir

It’s hard to describe what happened inside your soul. This was war...But here...I saw a piano and someone playing it. It transfixed me,

0:21:48-0:22:02

Vladimir

when those fingers moved over the keys. We understood it was for those keys, for those songs... Well, we had to walk on... Unarmed...

0:22:02-0:22:15

Vladimir

Against armed Berkut units. The fear vanished somewhere... While all around there was cold, rioting, fire and smoke...

0:22:43-0:22:59

Antoinette

It was a moment when the priests of all religions prayed together. Father said: "Today there’ll be a very important worship. We’d like you to play."

0:23:0-0.23:28

Antoinette

The piece I had decided to dedicate to the Maidan... I've had it in my mind earlier. There was a time I played a lot of Schubert. I felt that his music is imbued with love and I also wanted to compose something similar.

0:23:28-0:23:40

Antoinette

I had a melody, but I couldn’t find the harmony or the texture for it. I began to play and it suddenly worked.

0:23:55-0:24:10

Crowd

Heroes don’t die! Glory to the heroes!

0:24:10-0:24:21

Lyudmila

Later, when they started  shooting in the Maidan. We stared at the faces of the slain and I recognised lots of them. When I handed out food, they asked who I was.

0:24:21-0:24:58

Lyudmila

I said I was a concert pianist and when everything’s over, I would play a classical

music concert for them. I wasn’t able to play

that concert then and when it was all over,

many of those people, who I’d met were dead. They’d been shot... But we organised that concert in memory of the Heavenly Hundred. We played it, but those people couldn’t hear it.

0:25:00-0:25:26

Crowd

Glory to the heroes!

0:27:00-0:27:06

Title

Five months later

0:28:30-0:28:45

Antoinette

There’s a piano over there. Do you need it?

Can I take it? The boys living in the tent won’t let me. Now it’s in bad shape and I’d like to take it...

0:28:45-0:28:45

Man

Goodbye! No one’s taking it away.

0:28:48-0:28:50

Antoinette

You need it, do you?

0:28:50-0:29:01

Man

No, no we don’t need it. You definitely can’t take it. I’ll smash it up first, for fuck’s sake! But you’re not taking it.

0:29:01-0:29:02

Antoinette

I don’t want to take it...

0:29:06-0:29:08

Man

You’re totally insane! What are you laughing at?

0:29:08-0:29:11

Man

When did you come here?

0:29:11-0:29:12

Antoinette

On the 10^th of December.

0:29:13-0:29:14

Man

I’ve never seen you before.

0:29:14-0:29:16

Antoinette

Perhaps this is the first time you’ve seen me.

0:29:16-0:29:23

Man

The whole Maidan knows me! Let’s see who knows you! Come on then!

0:29:23-0:29:23

Antoinette

OK.

0:29:24-0:29:27

Мan

Seen her before?

0:29:27-0:29:28

Man 2

No.

0:29:33-0:29:37

Antoinette

Eternal glory to the heroes.

0:29:45-0:29:48

Title

DON’T TOUCH THIS INSTRUMENT

0:29:48-0:30:19

Antoinette

Hello, is that Jaroslav? Antoinette Mishchenko speaking. Do you remember I played in the Maidan? I’m calling about the piano, which was near the headquarters. You see it’s in really poor shape. Some of the hammers and felt dampers are missing, and the keys are sticking.

0:30:33-0:30:38

Jaroslav

I found some hammers that had fallen under the piano.

0:30:41-0:30:43

Antoinette

I’ve never seen anything like it.

0:30:43-0:30:44

Jaroslav

Me neither.

0:30:44-0:30:50

Antoinette

My God... If I could, I’d kiss you!

0:30:50-0:30:54

Jaroslav

When I’ve done it all, OK?

0:30:54-0:30:55

Antoinette

Yes.

0:31:20-0:31:27

Jaroslav

I don’t get why there’s no lubricant here.

0:32:15-0:32:18

Jaroslav

Play like that, with the pedal.

0:32:20-0:32:23

Antoinette

It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough.

0:32:24-0:32:25

Jaroslav

You play beautifully.

0:32:32-0:32:34

Man

It’s twelve midnight! People are trying to sleep!

0:32:35-0:32:36

Antoinette

We have to...

0:32:36-0:32:53

Man

People are trying to sleep! Why are you bloody playing?! People are trying to sleep! Just you try! People have to get up early! Why all this fucking shit!?

0:33:09-0:33:11

Man

Hands out your pockets!

0:33:17-0:33:22

Man

Some of you might like it, but not me.

0:33:33-0:33:36

Man

Any questions? Are there any questions?!

0:33:47-0:33:54

Vladimir

Now there’s a war coming, and I’m at war.

People are dying there.

0:34:03-0:34:03

Voice

Glory to Ukraine!

0:34:05-0:34:06

Crowd

Glory to the heroes!

0:34:33-0:34:54

Pianist (covered face)

I dedicate this piece to a close friend and a wonderful person, who is no longer with us. Taras Brus. He died in the Battle for Ilovaysk. The piece is called Ilovaysk.

0:36:12-0:37:04

Pianist (covered face)

Someone else came in my life. We met in the Maidan. His name was Taras. I’d never had a friend like that before. They went to Ilovaysk... They got caught in a trap and were soon surrounded. They held out for a week. The Russian soldiers made a corridor for them, so they could leave the encirclement... But it was a pretence. It was a planned operation to liquidate the volunteer battalion... And he was killed there… It was a dreadful death. I dreamt of him that night. He said: "I might have expected anything, but not such a senseless death." When he died I had a feeling,

0:37:04-0:37:20

Pianist (covered face)

as though a wall had collapsed,  the support I had behind me... It collapsed... That was the end. I was left alone. Totally alone in the world.

0:38:42-0:38:44

Voice

Glory to Ukraine! Glory to its heroes!