Russia Archives - Directors Notes

Zhenia Kazankina’s Doc-Fiction Hybrid ‘Continuity of Parks’ Imagines Greek Heroes Living in a Moscow Park

Zhenia Kazankina breaks down the naturalist performances and mix of documentary and fiction methods of her 16mm reimagining of Greek myth in a Moscow park.

Live Action, Premiere

Nastia Korkia’s ‘Almost Spring’ Brutally Lays Bare the Normalisation of Corruption in Everyday Russian Life

Nastia Korkia shares how she used a cinematic language of slow, methodical takes in order to show how deeply embedded corruption is in everyday Russian life.

Documentary

Evgenia Arbugaeva & Maxim Arbugaev Acutely Capture the Effects of Climate Change in Oscar-Nominated Doc ‘Haulout’

Evgenia Arbugaeva explains the difficulty of shooting an Oscar-nominated nature documentary amongst thousands of scared walruses.

Animation

Lado Kvataniya’s ‘Burn’ Is a Caustic Warning Against Our Collective Disillusionment at the Hands of Propaganda.

Lado Kvataniya & Sergey Kolesov detail how they worked together to reflect the pernicious role of modern day propaganda in their caustic animated music video.

Live Action, Premiere

Robert Mentov & Dwight Jantzi’s ‘Gypsy Son’ Skilfully Recreates 90s Russia for a Powerful Gangster Tale

Robert Mentov explains how he and Dwight Jantzi created a fresh gangster tale with evocative lighting, religious images and an 80s-style soundtrack.

Music

Yulya Litinskaya’s Dark Video for Tosya Chaikina’s ‘Arrows Have Struck in the Heart’ Shows a World in Decay

Yulya Litinskaya explains how she smoothly incorporated naturalistic movements into the expressive choreography of her foreboding music video.

Art & Fashion

Dasha Gushchina’s ‘Slaughterhouse-Six’ is a Bracing Balletic Response to Russia’s Descent into Fascism

With militaristic movements on a barren landscape, Dasha Gushchina discusses crafting a brutal ballet as a direct response to unthinkable monstrosities.

Music

Leo Gorenshtein Questions What Is Enough in Fatalistic 3h Company Music Video ‘Adequately’

Leo Gorenshtein tells DN why he strives to embed multiple layers of meaning in his films to create viewing experiences which reward deeper contemplation.

Animation, Music

Philipp Yuryev & Ivan Proskuryakov’s ‘Against Tortures in Russia’ Powerfully Condemns Police Brutality

Philipp Yuryev talks about giving voice to those victims the Kremlin tries to silence through a careful blend of live-action and storybook stop-motion.

Animation, Premiere

Dominica Harrison’s ‘Chado’ Is a Coming of Age Story Set Within an Enchanted Russian Wilderness

Dominica Harrison details the physical approach to animation she took in creating the magical imagery of her short film 'Chado'.

Music

Lado Kvataniya’s ‘Revansh’ is a Violent Allegorical Representation of the Gritty Reality of Life in Modern Russia

Lado Kvataniya discusses staging a surreal metaphorical portrait of Russian living using 16mm and hidden cuts for Husky track 'Revansh'.

Live Action, Premiere

Zhenia Kazankina Acutely Captures Life in a Liminal Space in Deadpan Border Hotel Drama ‘Rio’

Zhenia Kazankina explains how deadpan framing and cast relationships formed in rehearsals allowed for an oddball take on the coming-of-age genre in 'Rio'.

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