Job Discussion Forums

[etx]

So, have you ever looked around your language school at all the pathetic yet colorful wrecks and their horrible misadventures and thought, "Man, somebody ought to make a documentary about this place"?

Well, somebody has. A well-established maker of documentaries, in fact, a Russian living in Canada named Julia Ivanova.

(And no, this isn't another etx hoax, I'm serious here.)

Actually, it's not so much about English teaching as about a bunch of foreigners living in Moscow at the end of 2004, when terrorist attacks were happening about every week. (The Beslan school massacre, which gets my vote for most fucked-up, cowardly terrorist attack ever, happens during the film, too.)

But an English teacher is the star (as such) and this documentary well captures the life of an English teacher in Russia -- the loneliness and frustration, the seedy apartments and the washing clothes in the bathtub, the clashes with administration, police and surly locals, the drinking, bantering and wandering around at night, the bruised romanticism and idealism. . .

I had the pleasure of seeing an advance copy last night and I recommend it. The website for the film is:

www.moscowfreestyle.com

It's going to be on Canadian TV in April, and I'm suggesting to Julia she edit an uncut, expanded version, with more drinking binges and arguing, and sell it on the Internet.

(And no, before any of you ask, I'm not in the film anywhere. I don't live in Moscow. A mutual acquaintance recommended my site to her, and she decided to use the line "God watches out for drunks, little children, and English teachers" as a sort of tag line for the film.)

Love, ETX

[garth]

Hi, this documentary sounds very interesting, and I'd love to view it as I'm heading for Moscow to earn a CELTA and teach come August. Until then I'm trapped in school in Iowa, and so can't really view Canadian television. Any idea how I could get my hands on this? Any Canadians out there want to tape it for me, pretty please, I'll make it worth your while with baked goods and valuable US dollahz ($$$)

[dmb]

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

One Canadian definition for 'baked goods' certainly isn't.

[D.O.S.]

Moscow! One of my favourite places.

Please keep us updated on this documentary.