The Slavic Connexion

By ConnexionsSociety & Culture

The Slavic Connexion episodes

December 02, 2023 The State of Investigative Journalism in Russia Today with Mikhail Rubin
On this episode, Taylor and Misha speak with Mikhail Rubin, journalist and co-founder of Proekt Media, the lead investigative media outlet in Russia. Thanks for listening!
ABOUT THE GUEST
Mikhail Rubin has covered Russian policy processes for nearly 13 years. During this period, he has had the opportunity to work as a Kremlin pool reporter for the popular print and web-media outlets Izvestia and RBC. He has also worked as a TV-journalist with Rain (Dozhd), hosting a program about the underbelly of Russian politics. Now, he finds himself at what he believes to be the most interesting Russian investigative media outlet – The Project.
Follow Proekt Media on social media and subscribe to their website: https://www.proekt.media/en/home/.
PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 30, 2023 at the 2023 ASEEES Convention in Philadelphia, at the Marriott Hotel. Thank you to ASEEES for welcoming us!
If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch!
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Assistant EP/Host: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy)
Assistant Producer/Host: Taylor Helmcamp
Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana)
Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar
Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet
Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher
Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce
SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish
Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Makaih Beats, Ketsa, Holizna, AlexProductions, Metre)
Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@M_S_Daniel) www.msdaniel.com
DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
Special Guest: Mikhail Rubin.
38 min
November 25, 2023 The (Grass)roots of Illiberalism: Contemporary Authoritarianism, Identity Projects, & Culture Wars in Europe
In this episode, Nick and Eliza talk with widely respected historian and sociologist Marlène Laruelle about the concept of illiberalism and its spread across Europe. Dr. Laruelle explains how she frames the relatively new term as a cluster of ideologies that is challenging liberalism in its various forms, mostly based around two key arguments: (1) the need for sovereignty, and (2) the idea that traditional hierarchy must be reinforced and protected. She also talks about Russia's rebranding of itself as an anti-colonial power in order to appeal to the Global South which she holds has been a successful and efficient tactic that resonates with nations opposed to European and Western overreach. Thanks for listening!
ABOUT THE GUEST
Dr. Marlène Laruelle is the Director of the Illiberalism Studies Program and former Director of the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at George Washington University. She works on the rise of populist and illiberal movements in post-Soviet Eurasia, Europe and the US. Trained in political philosophy, she explores how nationalism and conservative values are becoming mainstream in different cultural contexts. She focuses on Russia's ideological landscape and its outreach abroad. She has been also working on Central Asia's nationhood and regional environment, as well as on Russia's Arctic policy.
PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 3, 2023 via Zoom.
If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch!
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Hosts: Eliza Fisher, Nicholas Pierce
Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy)
Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana)
Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar
Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp
Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet
Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher
Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce
SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish
Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by King Elizaebeth, Makaih Beats, Juanitos, Eaters, Holizna, Ketsa)
Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@M_S_Daniel) www.msdaniel.com
DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
Special Guest: Marlène Laruelle.
47 min
November 20, 2023 Surveillance, Liberty, & Privacy: A Conversation on National Security & Emerging Technologies with Adam Klein
On this episode, Adam Klein, director of the Strauss Center for International Security & Law, shares his insights on the concerns around security versus freedom of speech; his work covering the confluence of law, surveillance, and emerging technologies; and his unique perspectives on global affairs.
PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 6, 2023 at the LBJ School for Public Affairs, UT Austin.
If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch!
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Host/Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp
Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy)
Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana)
Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar
Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet
Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher
Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce
SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish
Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Sneaky Club, Shaolin Dub, Alex-Productions)
Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@M_S_Daniel) www.msdaniel.com
DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
Special Guest: Adam Klein.
44 min
November 15, 2023 Bravehearts: The Real Story of the Chechens' Unending Fight for Independence (#Connexions speaker series)
On this episode, Dr. Michael Dennis, a leading expert on the Chechen Republic, tells the multifaceted story of the Chechen fight for independence, including the consequences of the Chechen Wars, the rise of the Kadyrov family, lessons learned by the Russian Army, impacts on the Putin regime's decision-making in crises, and Chechnya's role in Ukraine. Dr. Dennis also talks about the future of the North Caucasus and the different actors' stakes in this fraught region. Thanks for listening!
This event was part of the #Connexions Experts speaker series which is dedicated to spreading nuanced knowledge about conflict areas in the greater Eurasian region. The Experts series is in lead up to the #Connexions 2024 conference which will take place from March 18-20 at The University of Texas at Austin.
Watch the event here: https://www.youtube.com/live/w6Fh76DnmdI?si=MC6lu6CRY-15RWTk
ABOUT THE GUEST
Dr. Michael Dennis is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and a leading expert on Chechnya, the North Caucasus insurgency, and the Russo-Chechen Wars. In addition to over twenty years of research in the region, Dr. Dennis spent over five years living with Chechen rebels and refugees in the Pankisi Gorge along the Chechen border with the Republic of Georgia, and displaced Chechen communities in Azerbaijan, Belgium, Poland, and Turkey, exploring the conditions under which displaced populations attitudinally support political violence. His post-doctoral research focused on Chechen attitudes towards foreign fighters in Ukraine and Syria. During the Second Russo-Chechen War (1999 to 2009), he served as a volunteer aid-worker the International Rescue Committee (IRC) tasked with leading a team to help re-build water, sanitation, and education infrastructure in war-torn Chechnya and provide subsistence support to tens of thousands of Chechen refugees living in the neighboring republic of Ingushetia. From 2004 to 2011, he co-directed the Chechnya Advocacy Network, an international humanitarian non-government organization created to improve human rights and security in Chechnya, provide legal and asylum procedure assistance for Chechen refugees, conduct research on issues related to the Russo-Chechen Wars, and raise awareness and funds to improve infrastructure, physical and psychological rehabilitation, and education in the Republic of Chechnya. Dr. Dennis’s research has been published in Security Studies and referenced in Foreign Affairs, and he recently completed an academic book manuscript based on his decades-long work with Chechen refugees. He holds a Ph.D. in Government from The University of Texas at Austin, an M.A. in Political Science from Miami University (Ohio), and studied at Novgorod State University in Russia, and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He is a former Fulbright Scholar and speaks Chechen and Russian.
PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 3, 2023 at The University of Texas at Austin.
If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch!
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Host/Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce
Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy)
Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana)
Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar
Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp
Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet
Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher
SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish
Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by AKMV, Ketsa, Mindseye, Shaolin Dub)
Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@M_S_Daniel) www.msdaniel.com
DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
Special Guest: Michael Dennis.
56 min
November 12, 2023 Bravehearts: The Real Story of the Chechens' Unending Fight for Independence (#Connexions speaker series)
On this episode, Dr. Michael Dennis, a leading expert on the Chechen Republic, tells the multifaceted story of the Chechen fight for independence, including the consequences of the Chechen Wars, the rise of the Kadyrov family, lessons learned by the Russian Army, impacts on the Putin regime's decision-making in crises, and Chechnya's role in Ukraine. Dr. Dennis also talks about the future of the North Caucasus and the different actors' stakes in this fraught region. Thanks for listening!
This event was part of the #Connexions Experts speaker series which is dedicated to spreading nuanced knowledge about conflict areas in the greater Eurasian region. The Experts series is in lead up to the #Connexions 2024 conference which will take place from March 18-20 at The University of Texas at Austin.
Watch the event here: https://www.youtube.com/live/w6Fh76DnmdI?si=MC6lu6CRY-15RWTk
ABOUT THE GUEST
Dr. Michael Dennis is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and a leading expert on Chechnya, the North Caucasus insurgency, and the Russo-Chechen Wars. In addition to over twenty years of research in the region, Dr. Dennis spent over five years living with Chechen rebels and refugees in the Pankisi Gorge along the Chechen border with the Republic of Georgia, and displaced Chechen communities in Azerbaijan, Belgium, Poland, and Turkey, exploring the conditions under which displaced populations attitudinally support political violence. His post-doctoral research focused on Chechen attitudes towards foreign fighters in Ukraine and Syria. During the Second Russo-Chechen War (1999 to 2009), he served as a volunteer aid-worker the International Rescue Committee (IRC) tasked with leading a team to help re-build water, sanitation, and education infrastructure in war-torn Chechnya and provide subsistence support to tens of thousands of Chechen refugees living in the neighboring republic of Ingushetia. From 2004 to 2011, he co-directed the Chechnya Advocacy Network, an international humanitarian non-government organization created to improve human rights and security in Chechnya, provide legal and asylum procedure assistance for Chechen refugees, conduct research on issues related to the Russo-Chechen Wars, and raise awareness and funds to improve infrastructure, physical and psychological rehabilitation, and education in the Republic of Chechnya. Dr. Dennis’s research has been published in Security Studies and referenced in Foreign Affairs, and he recently completed an academic book manuscript based on his decades-long work with Chechen refugees. He holds a Ph.D. in Government from The University of Texas at Austin, an M.A. in Political Science from Miami University (Ohio), and studied at Novgorod State University in Russia, and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He is a former Fulbright Scholar and speaks Chechen and Russian.
PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 3, 2023 at The University of Texas at Austin.
If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch!
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Host/Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce
Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy)
Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana)
Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar
Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp
Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet
Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher
SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish
Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by AKMV, Ketsa, Mindseye, Shaolin Dub)
Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@M_S_Daniel) www.msdaniel.com
DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
Special Guest: Michael Dennis.
54 min
November 04, 2023 Yellowing Paper: Russian Journalism, the New Proletarian Elite, and an Economy of Smugglers
On this episode, we talk with Financial Times' Moscow bureau chief Max Seddon who speaks about his personal path to journalism in Putin's Russia, the state of the country's economic system, the political ineffectiveness of Russian oligarchs, and much more. Thanks for listening!
ABOUT THE GUEST
Max Seddon has been the FT's Moscow bureau chief since 2021 and leads coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He was previously a correspondent in the Moscow bureau, where he wrote about the tug-of-war over money and power between the Kremlin, Russian oligarchs, and state companies, as well as topics from the Orthodox Church to football. Before that, he covered Russia and Ukraine for BuzzFeed News and the Associated Press.
PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on October 24, 2023 via Zoom.
If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch!
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Assistant EP/Host: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy)
Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana)
Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar
Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp
Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet
Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher
Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Michelle Daniel
Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce
SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish
Main Theme by Charlie Harper (charlieharpermusic.com) and additional background music by kaleidoplasm, Holizna, Crowander, Blue Dot Sessions, Ketsa, Eazy)
Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@M_S_Daniel) msdaniel.com
DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
Special Guest: Max Seddon.
30 min
October 19, 2023 On the Wings of Russian Propaganda: Slovakia and the Decline of Democracy in Central Europe
On this episode, Slovakian politician and academic Martin Klus talks with us during a trip to Texas about the state of the Slovak Republic following the recent elections favoring a more Moscow-friendly government. Slovakia's move towards the pro-Russia camp in which Victor Orban's Hungary sits will make things difficult for its eastern neighbor Ukraine and easier for Putin in the European space. Per statistics that Dr. Klus cited as a fellow at the Bratislava-based think tank GLOBSEC, 55% of Slovakians believe that the war in Ukraine was started by an actor other than Russia, which is a direct effect of Russian propaganda through social media platforms, in particular TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The European Commission introduced the Digital Service Act which Dr. Klus hopes will help to mitigate the negative effects of free speech for trolls and hate speech-propagating bots. Thanks for listening!
Related episodes: "Milan Rastislav Štefánik: The Slovak National Hero and Co-Founder of Czechoslovakia" https://www.slavxradio.com/stefanik
ABOUT THE GUEST
Martin Klus is a Slovak political scientist and theorist. Prior to entering Slovak politics and since leaving office recently, he worked as university lecturer and political analyst, providing political analyses and commentaries for renowned domestic and foreign media. Dr. Klus holds a PhD in Theory of Politics and an MBA. He entered communal politics in Banská Bystrica in 2014. Between the years 2016 and 2020 he was a Member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Vice Chairman of the NCSR EU Affairs Committee and member of the NCSR Foreign Affairs Committee, even the NCSR Deputy Speaker during last six months of his tenure. He held the position of Vice Chairman of the NATO PA Subcommittee on NATO Partnership, as the first Slovak appointee in such position. In March 2020, he served as the State Secretary for EU affairs at the Slovak MFEA as both the GAC minister and the Sherpa to the Prime Minister. Besides EU Affairs, his contemporary agenda and research consists of Disinformation and Hybrid Threats, Human Rights, Crisis Management and Consular Affairs. He is now returning to academia, to resume his post as associate professor at the Higher School of Economics and Management in Bratislava, Slovakia.
PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on October 19, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch!
CREDITS
Host/Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana)
Host/Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce
Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy)
Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar
Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp
Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet
Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher
Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Michelle Daniel
Music Producer: Charlie Harper (@charlieharpermusic) - Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Eme Hache, Joey Hendrixx.
Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@M_S_Daniel) www.msdaniel.com
DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
Special Guest: Martin Klus.
35 min
October 15, 2023A Matter of Defense: Russia's Arms Industry, Post-Soviet Wars, and American Pragmatism
On this episode, Misha talks with Ruslan Pukhov, a Russian defense analyst and the director of the Moscow-based Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST). Mr. Pukhov shares about the origins of CAST during the late 90s, the state of Russia's defense economy, and his views on the current war in Ukraine. He states that neither the Ukrainian public nor Ukrainian leadership and elites understand what "victory" means in terms of a realistic approach and that continued American support, strongly dependent upon the upcoming US presidential elections in his view, is critical to Ukraine's prospects in this war.
EPISODE NOTES:
The journalist Mr. Pukhov mentions is Yuri Lyamin. The link to his blog the Imperial Navigator, where his latest pieces analyze Hamas propaganda following the recent eruption of hostilities between Iran-backed Hamas and Israel: https://imp-navigator.livejournal.com/.
Select articles from a variety of sources that include commentary from the demographer Alexey Raksha:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-20/rogue-demographer-says-russia-covid-deaths-may-be-europe-s-worst
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-18/putin-s-war-escalation-is-hastening-demographic-crash-for-russia
https://fortune.com/2022/10/18/russia-population-historic-decline-emigration-war-plunging-birth-rate-form-perfect-storm/
https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/03/04/russias-population-nightmare-is-going-to-get-even-worse
https://theweek.com/russia/1017914/russias-catastrophic-missing-men-problem
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/conflict-deepens-russias-demographic-crisis
For a list of pieces by Mr. Pukhov as written for The Moscow Times visit https://www.themoscowtimes.com/author/ruslan-pukhov
PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on October 1, 2023 via Zoom. The views expressed in this episode belong to the speakers and do not reflect those of either the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies or the William P. Clements, Jr. Center for National Security at The University of Texas at Austin.
If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch!
CREDITS
Associate Producer: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy)
Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana)
Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar
Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet
Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher
Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce
SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish
Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Michelle Daniel
Music Producer: Charlie Harper (@charlieharpermusic) www.charlieharpermusic.com (Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Beat Mekanik, Broke For Free, KAZKA)
Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@M_S_Daniel) www.msdaniel.com
DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
Special Guest: Ruslan Pukhov.
49 min
September 30, 2023 From Fallujah to the Forty Acres: History, Strategy, and Statecraft with Paul Edgar
On this episode, we had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Paul Edgar, the interim executive director of the Clements Center for National Security at UT Austin. Paul spoke about how he went from the military to academia, the Russo-Ukrainian War, and his goals for the Clements Center as a leading educational institution for discourse around history, strategy, and statecraft. Thanks for listening!
ABOUT THE GUEST
Paul Edgar is the Associate Director of the William P. Clements, Jr. Center for National Security at the University of Texas-Austin. He holds a PhD in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of Texas and studies the historical origins of diplomacy, war, and strategy in pre-classical antiquity. He is also a philologist of several ancient languages. As a graduate student, he was a fellow in the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s Engaged Scholar Program and also with the Clements Center. Prior to beginning work on his PhD, Paul had been an Olmsted Foundation Scholar at Tel Aviv University where he studied for his master’s degree, focusing on early Israelite and Jewish literature from the Iron Age through the Crusades. Previously, Paul earned his bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Saint Mary’s University. His public writing has appeared in Foreign Policy, Task & Purpose, and Capital Commentary. He is currently finishing his first book, an international diplomatic history of the Late Bronze Age. Before entering academia, Paul served more than 22 years as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, beginning as a platoon leader in Korea and then in the 75th Ranger Regiment. He commanded an airborne company in Vicenza, Italy, deploying in support of numerous contingency and training operations throughout Europe and North Africa.
PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on September 26, 2023 at the William P. Clements, Jr. Center for National Security at UT Austin.
If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch!
CREDITS
Host/Associate Producer: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy)
Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana)
Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar
Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet
Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher
Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce
Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Michelle Daniel
Music Producer: Charlie Harper (@charlieharpermusic) www.charlieharpermusic.com (Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Makaih Beat, Joey Hendrixx, Broke for Free, Nu Tiel Records, Shaolin Dub, Ketsa)
Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@M_S_Daniel) www.msdaniel.com
DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
Special Guest: Paul Edgar.
41 min
September 26, 2023 From Russia to Hollywood: Bringing Slavic Culture to the Silver Screen
On this episode, Misha and Taylor speak with Lada Egorova, a Russian filmmaker in Los Angeles who has an ambitious and timely project, creating a TV comedy about Slavic emigres to the US and their culture. The show is titled BLIN, meaning 'pancake' and explores the Russian community and its culture in Los Angeles. As Lada mentions in the episode, one of the inspirations for BLIN is the TV show Ramy on HBO. Learn more here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7649694/
SYNOPSIS: When New Yorker, Katia, returns to her Russian roots in Los Angeles to help her mother run their grocery store after a debilitating car accident, she quickly finds herself in over her head. As she attempts to reconcile her modern, American lifestyle with her traditional, Russian upbringing, Katia must navigate the quirky and often hilarious customs of her Russian neighborhood, all while trying to keep the store afloat. Katia learns that running a business is hard work, especially when you're trying to find your place in a culture that sometimes feels like a foreign land.
ABOUT THE GUEST
Lada Egorova’s journey into filmmaking started with her performance as a ghost in a student short film, she didn’t know much about life and happiness at that time (not that she knows much more now) but she was certain of one thing: she HAD to be on a film set as much as possible. But as she worked on countless projects, she quickly realized she wanted to write her own stories and create complex female characters who would be part of extraordinary adventures, have to fight against impressive forces of life and who would be as fun and inspiring to watch as their male counterparts.
She interned at various production companies in France and in the US while she wrote and directed several award-winning short films. One of her latest short film projects PAPOCHKA was selected by the French Film Organization Ciclic to be part of a screenwriting residency, and later got her to receive a film grant for its production.
After accumulating a diverse and extensive body of work at a French film university in Paris and being an exchange student at The California State University, she stayed in Los Angeles where she is currently developing her own projects, helping other upcoming filmmakers to produce their films and expanding her photography skills by working with diverse artists.
Visit her website at https://ladaegorova.wixsite.com/website
PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on September 21, 2023 via Zoom.
If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch!
CREDITS
Host/Associate Producer: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy)
Host/Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp
Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana)
Assistant Producer: Sergio Glajar
Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet
Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher
Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce
Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Michelle Daniel
Main Theme by Charlie Harper @charlieharpermusic and additional background music by Broke for Free, Joey Hendrixx, Nu Tiel Records)
Sound bites from 2001 A Space Odyssey, Rocky IV, Star Trek, and Snatch
Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@M_S_Daniel) www.msdaniel.com
DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
Special Guest: Lada Egorova.
38 min

About The Slavic Connexion

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An international chat show on the politics, history, current events, and peoples of the Slavic world, sponsored by The University of Texas at Austin's Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian…

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