An in-depth investigation into the working process of Konstantin Stanislavski, who managed to maintain his inner freedom and true artistry within the harsh boundaries of the Soviet system, all thanks to the power of his prodigious talent. The best and brightest of Russian and British theatre, from Kirill Serebrennikov to Yury Butusov to Marina Brusnikina, Declan Donnellan, Katie Mitchell and Lev Dodin express their inexhaustible admiration for Stanislavski...

A mosaic of asphalt adventures, landscape photography, and some of the craziest stuff you’ve ever seen, this is a stunning compilation of video footage shot exclusively via the deluge of dashboard cameras that populate Russian roads. Nominated for Best Documentary at the **Nashville Film Festival**. "*Suspenseful and funny, occasionally poignant and often nearly unbelievable, it captures a certain sociological flavor while remaining universally...

The film, set in a Far-North industrial town in Russia, reveals the mechanism that entices human beings to voluntarily become a resource to be used by the state. Can a person ever be free in a society, where intricate and obscure structures take control of their mind-set from an early age? The film looks at the making of a Russian citizen from a fresh angle. The director’s subtle but demanding look reveals “the system” at work in the most benign-looking...

An examination of the life and work of revered Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, this film draws heavily on footage taken on the set of his final production, *The Sacrifice*. Featuring interviews with the filmmaker, the documentary looks at Tarkovsky's meticulous creative process and uncompromising vision. The production also addresses his untimely death and includes anecdotes from his widow, which shed more light on Tarkovsky's dedication to his...

Winter 2015, Belarus. The presidential election is brewing. The omnipotent Lukashenko is running for a 5th. mandate at the head of this martyred country: devastated by World War II and then by Chernobyl. Kostia has just turned 18. He lives in the countryside, surrounded by his relatives: his grandmother who follows the presidential campaign on TV, the neighbor, a political opponent who restores the statues of the church, a photographer friend who...

Kirill Serebrennikov's "AFTER LETO" tells the story of the epoch in which the characters of his feature film, "Leto", lived. Interviews with Natalia Naumenko, Artemy Troitsky, Igor Petrovsky, Seva Novgorodtsev and Andrei Tropillo delve into the Russian rock scene of the 80's, Soviet youth and the spirit of that time, allowing us to look behind the scenes of Russian culture during this era of Victor Tsoi and Mike Naumenko. The film's narration is laid...

The rich inner world of the renowned Georgian screenwriter, artist and puppeteer Rezo Gabriadze is as fantastic as the animation into which he has poured this story of his life. Rezo’s director son, Leo Gabriadze, who previously made the hit horror film Unfriended (2014), leaves it to his father to talk about a life suffused with magical thinking. The movie is an autobiographical animated documentary questioning ideas of deep humanity, kindness...

Alexander Sokurov’s portrait of the real-life collaboration that saved the Louvre Museum under the Nazi Occupation, a stunning and urgently relevant meditation on the essential relationship between art, culture, and history. Official Selection at the **Toronto International Film Festival**. Winner of the Fedora Award for Best Euro-Mediterranean Film and the Fondazione Mimmo Rotella Award and nominated for the Golden Lion at the **Venice Film Festival**....

In spring 2014, following the annexation of Crimea, armed pro-Russian rebels stormed the city of Donetsk. Eventually, independence from Kiev was declared. This brave and human documentary explores the origins and evolution of the Donetsk People's Republic, diving into both hopeful beginnings and a present marked by destruction, hate and infighting.

Laika, a stray dog picked up by the Soviet space program on the streets of Moscow, became the first living being to orbit the earth when she was launched into space on Sputnik 2. Although Laika would not survive the journey, directors Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter trace the persistence of her memory and legacy into the present day. As the capsule containing Laika re-entered Earth’s orbit and began to burn up, the narrator announces “What had been...