Switzerland/ 2021/ 92′
DIRECTED BY: Svetlana Rodina, Laurent Stoop
SCREENPLAY BY: Svetlana Rodina, Laurent Stoop
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Laurent Stoop
EDITED BY: Svetlana Rodina, Karine Sudan, Orsola Valenti
PRODUCED BY: Corinna Dästner, Sonja Kilbertus, Urs Schnell
FESTIVALS & AWARDS: Hot Docs 2021 – Best International Feature Documentary Award, Visions du Reel 2021, Camden International Film Festival 2021 – Special Jury Award, El Gouna Film Festival 2021 – Best International Feature Documentary Award / The Cinema for Humanity Award, Guanajuato International Film Festival 2021 – Best International Feature Documentary Award, CineEco Seia 2021 – Honorable mention, Locarno Film Festival 2021 – Panorama Suisse, Verzio International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival 2021, Free Zone Belgrade 2021
On the island of Ostrov in the Caspian Sea the inhabitants, left alone by the Russian state after the collapse of the Soviet Union, survive through poaching. Ivan regularly goes out to sea risking his life and freedom. In addition to the political aspect, the film’s empathetic view also paints a touching family portrait of its protagonists, who cling to a sense of hope in their family and community. The strong audiovisual approach capturing the rough natural beauty of the island underlines the cinematic potential of the film.
Svetlana Rodina born in 1975 in Russia. Graduated in Russian literature, philology and in film directing in Moscow. She is a screenwriter and director of documentaries. She has also worked as a host for various television programmes.
Laurent Stoop has a degree in literature and photography. Just after the end of the Soviet Union he moved to Moscow and worked as a freelance photographer with the photo agency Lookat. In 1995 he founded the production company Mayak-Film. Since then he worked as DOP for various television and feature documentaries, including the award winning and critically acclaimed CITIZEN KHODORKOVSKY (2016).