Film Director Alexander Sokurov revealed the details of how in 1990 on the eve of the 28th Congress of the CPSU directed to Boris Yeltsin, then Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, the performance with the announcement from the Communist party. He told about it in interview to “Fontanka”.
According to Sokurov, they and Yeltsin sat in the room and drew on a sheet of paper the plan of the hall and the podium of the Kremlin Palace of congresses. “And he said that he needed to insist he was put on the left edge, if looking at the scene. Closer to the podium, the podium, on the second, max the third row near the aisle,” recalls the Director. He then explained to Yeltsin that if he still dare to declare at the Congress to withdraw from the party, then the short distance to the podium “will not destroy” his condition while he will go from his seat.
The filmmaker said that they also rehearsed the exit to the podium and leaving the room. In addition, Sokurov, in his words, insisted that it was within 40-50 seconds. The Director explained that the short duration was necessary because of Yeltsin, no one would have listened longer and because he could mute the microphone until the end of the speech.
“Rehearsed to the last detail. To the extent that, leaving him to undo a button on his jacket,” says Sokurov.
“I was very nervous and worried, not if I put it in a stupid position, because this is almost objective. It is in this sense very receptive were people”, — concluded the Director.
28th Congress of the CPSU was held in Moscow in the first half of July 1990 and ended on 12 July, exactly 30 years ago. Yeltsin, shortly before the Congress headed the Supreme Council of the RSFSR, in the presence of the President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev and hundreds of delegates announced the withdrawal from the party and immediately left the room.
