Stories from Russian Province

The year 2011 marked two full decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the start of a new identity for Russia. This eclectic collection of stunning documentary works, rather than dwelling on political issues, reflects on the psychological impact of the change on the Russian people. The idea of the province, the local "neighborhood," is the focus. Many works are produced by regional studios with filmmakers from the same social strata as their provincial subjects, betraying both a physical and an emotional distance from the "movers and shakers" of urban society.

Carefully selected films show that while political tendencies of Russian society have often determined social changes, the province only observes and often pays for them.

Interestingly, the series demonstrates above all that today's Russian documentarian inherits a deep sense of the culture and traditions rooted in Russian classical literature, rather than values derived from contemporary cinema.

Films are in Russian with subtitles, and in various formats.

This project is organized by Seagull Films with the assistance of Sverdlovsk Film Studio, Vertov Studio and St. Petersburg Documentary Film Studio with the support from the Trust for Mutual Understanding and Mr. Alexander Rodnyanskiy.

The series is curated by Victoria Belopolskaya and Alla Verlotsky.