Russian Film Week and Pushkin House are proud to present a selection of short films, with plots ranging from a young sailor writing unanswered letters for his estranged father, to a pair of interpreters navigating tense negotiations between world leaders, a young girl’s life-changing promise, and an escalating confrontation between a director and a censorship-committee-appointed group of producers.
All films are in Russian with English subtitles.
Ink Ocean (Чернильное море) / 2021 / 17 min
Director: Ivan Sosnin
Screenplay: Ivan Sosnin
Producers: Yana Shmaylova, Anton Smetanin, Anatoliy Zubarev
Cast: Vladimir Sarapultsev, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Maxim Samoilov, Vyacheslav Shchenin
Sasha, a young sailor, travels the world and sends letters to his father from every town where his ship stops. For years, his letters receive no reply. Sasha hasn't seen his father since childhood and he doesn't have his phone number. Only his address.
For Sasha, writing the letters becomes something of a ritual, even after getting nothing in reply. Then one day the sailor returns home to find a letter waiting for him.
Promises (Обещания) / 2021 / 20 min
Director: Lana Vlady
Screenplay: Dmitry Glukhovsky
Producers: Vladimir Maslov, Alisa Rizatdinova
Cast: Diana Pozharskaya, Pavel Derevyanko, Anna Slyu, Natalia Chumburidze, Pavel Chinarev, Irina Cherichenko, Olga Belyavskaya, Aleksander Borisov, Alena Glebova, Lisa Medvedeva
One day, five-year-old Tanya realises that her father will not always be by her side. She decides to make him a promise, one which will stay with her for her entire life, resonating even after she’s gone.
Higher levels (Высшие уровни) / 2021 / 16 min
Directors: Aleksey Saprykin, Ekaterina Germ-Uvarova
Screenplay: Ekaterina Germ-Uvarova, Aleksey Saprykin
Producer: Taya Komarova
Cast: Sergei Kolbintsev, Marсo Dinelli, Sergei Kuznetsov, Julia Сherepnina
One veteran interpreter and one novice have been brought in to translate the negotiations between the leaders of two increasingly hostile nuclear powers. One interpreter is an old hand at navigating the pressures of such high-level meetings; the other has never attended talks between world powers before. As the professional facades of the two leaders begin to crack and tensions grow, the interpreters will have to make a tough decision.
White Heterosexual Male (Белый гетеросексуальный мужчина) / 2021 / 15 min
Director: Gleb Ross
Screenplay: Gleb Ross
Producers: Alexander Bezkrovniy, Alexander Malinkovich, Gleb Ross, Dmitriy Kormilitsyn, Dmitriy Bushuev
Cast: Andrey Merzlikin, Roza Hairullina, Arman Hachatryan, Dariya Ekemasova, Rano Kubaeva, Anton Melichnikov, Artem Budikov, Elizaveta Martines
Running time: 15 min
Konstantin, an old-school director, is confronted by a group of producers appointed by the censorship committee when he comes into the studio to discuss a new film. They feel his story of ordinary people and traditional values is not suitable; tolerance and progress are on the agenda now. Gradually Konstantin’s patience is pushed to breaking point, and beyond.
For the full programme see https://www.russianfilmweek.org
