We all know what happened on the streets of Belarusian cities in the autumn of 2020. We remember the images of mass demonstrations and the shockingly brutal reaction of the regime. We know the truth about the arrests, torture and hundreds of Belarusian political prisoners. And thanks to Maksim Shved's film, we can see what the people of Minsk were living through on the eve of the memorable presidential elections. The protagonists of ' The Route Recalculated are two taxi drivers with opposing views―and their passengers. The young are eagerly awaiting the desired changes; the elderly often declare their attachment to the system, which provides them with an illusion of economic security. As the election approaches, the temperature of political discussions rises. What do Belarusians dream of in August 2020? What were the first days of their short carnival of freedom like?

Konrad Wirkowski