Russian
The Earth Is Blue as an Orange/ 2020/ Ukrainian / Russian
FiC Rating: 4.5/5
Dir: Iryna Tsilyk
1) This is one of the best ode to cinema, a love letter to the medium which is superbly performed by everybody, although the cast is mostly non-actors.
2) Every member of the family has a passion for cinema, driving them to shoot, edit and screen a film inspired by their own life set against the backdrop of war in Donbass town (Ukraine) between 2014-2015.
Playing The Victim (Izobrazhaya zhertvu) / 2006 / Russian
FiC Rating: 4.5/5
Dir: Kirill Serebrennikov
Setting: Suburban/Small-town
Why FiC recommends?
1) This is a truly unique movie, tragic, ironic, and hilarious, a noir remake of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The story delves into the tragicomic life of Valya, a loner with a rather special job, he plays the role of the victim in the reconstructions of the murders made by the police.
2) Beyond the moments of absurdness, “Playing the Victim” is a hard- hitting social commentary part psychological drama with minimalistic cinematography and one of the best films from Russia.
LETO/2018/Russian
FiC Rating: 3.5/5
Dir: Kirill Serebrennikov
Why FiC recommends?
1) It is beautifully shot and is a perfect ode to youth and rock in Soviet Russia.
2) There are filmmakers who have contributed to this genre, but Serebrennikov may be the only one to have succeeded in this initiative of linking music to political protest.