First on the Moon

The First on the Moon opens with a warning to the viewer: "The state of the archival footage does not always meet standard requirements, but it is used due to its unique character." Then we get images from old picture books of the first pioneers in the field of rocket propulsion. "Everything that happened was captured on film," A Russian archivist says. "That means it happened." What follows is a varied collage of archival footage from the 1930s and surveillance tapes from the secret service, leading to an occasionally hilarious "reconstruction" of a secret experiment with a manned space rocket. The footage stirs up memories of those exiting times for swimming champion Khanif Fattakhov, who nowadays builds moving insects for a museum. He used to be a member of the pioneer team that consisted of a test pilot, sports champions and a "living cannonball" from a circus. Gradually, the question forces itself upon the viewer as to whether what he is watching is true. Editing, sound and music certainly play special roles in this documentary. And what about the comment of the former spy in the hospital: "Mankind doesn't learn. It is ignorant about itself. There is no such thing as progress - technical or moral." In the end, the credits disclose some of the many secrets that are dealt with in this film. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)