CHRONICLES OF THE MIDDLE AGES (Хроники Средневековья) – documentary, 92′, 2023
Co-directing with Kaja Polivaeva, free project
Shot in Kyiv, Bucha and Hostomel in May 2022 the film shows several eyewitnesses of the war, who share their experiences of Russian occupation as well as their further thoughts about the current state of being.
TRAILER in EN or DE, FB-Filmpage
MOBILITY GODS (Starthelfer) – documentary – searching for finances
FFF-Bayern, Arcadia Filmproduktion
Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine – three countries, three workshops, three car mechanics. Getting moving wheels rolling again is the daily challenge of our three heroes. As Mobility Gods, they not only bring old cars back to shape, but they are also a symbol of the will to change in the three countries of the former Soviet Union…
Watch the TRAILER (DE) and learn more about the project on PitchTheDoc
ЗОЛОТИЦА – ЕРЕТИЦА (Heretic Zolotitsa) – documentary, 106′, 2020
The film is based on field audio and video material collected by a group of folklore researchers from the Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin House) of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the village of Letnyaya Zolotitsa, Primorsky District, Arkhangelsk Region in July 2019. It contains a thematic selection of interviews with villagers of different sexes and ages on topics such as past and present of the village, fishing, religion, death, evil spirits, folklore (songs and festivities). The film will be of interest to both anthropologists and folklorists and to all lovers of the Russian North.
HIMMELREICH AM BAIKALSEE – TV documentary, 43′, 2018
PASSION AND PUNISHMENT ON LAKE BAIKAL – TV documentary, 52′
both co-directing with Thorolf Lipp
ARTE, ZDF, docstation, Arcadia Filmproduktion
After recovering from a serious accident, the Siberian Cossack Valery becomes faithfull and takes a vow. He builds three monasteries on Lake Baikal, financed by donations. That is how he wants to thank God for his recovery. But Valery can not operate the monasteries, he would have to become a monk. The buildings are almost finished, but their future is uncertain …
OF HUGE AND SMALL – documentary, 26′, 2017
The film portrays a young human rights activist in russian Murmansk, who shares her thoughts and feelings about her “active life position” in the current days.
“The question is not whether we’re afraid. The question is what we do when we’re afraid, says the activist Zhanna, who lives in Murmansk and has been classified as a ‘hostile agent’ by the security forces for the past few years. Zhanna lives with her fear and still speaks out about the present political situation – in Russia and elsewhere. It’s the only way she can reassure herself that we ourselves are writing our story” (DOK Leipzig, Luc-Carolin Ziemann)
Watch on GuideDoc
AN/AUS (On/Off) – documentary, 57′, 2016
Beta-Film at filmArche e.V.
After a long and diligent consideration the Russian-German family man Valery finally decides to buy an electric car. As the dream comes true, he and his son Ivan have to rise up to the challenge and prove they are a match for the delicate vehicle and the exceptional technology it embodies. As they journey home through unfamiliar towns and landscapes, their gumption and stamina are subject to a severe and unexpected test.
15 МИНУТ СЛАВЫ (15 Minutes of Fame) – documentary, 22′, 2016
A cover band from a provincial Altai village goes to the capital of the region, Barnaul, to perform on a big stage on a large national holiday, the day of Russia. The long-awaited 15 minutes on the stage turned out for the band to be waiting hours behind it. The organizers of the event also prepared a “surprise” for the musicians.
DIE MIT DEM WINDE GEGANGEN SIND (О людях ушедших с ветром) – documentary, 21′, 2015
co-directing with Achim Burkart
Alpha-film at filmArche e.V.
DE: Als „erste Favela Berlins“ wurde die Cuvrybrache in Berlin-Kreuzberg berühmt. Der Kurzdokumentarfilm zeigt den Ort aus der Perspektive seiner Bewohner_innen, die hier versuchen ein zu Hause zu finden. Umgeben von Bars, angesagten Clubs und lukrativen Medienunternehmen leben auf dem Grundstück an der Spree über 200 Menschen in Zelten und Behausungen, die sie aus Müll zusammengebaut haben. Im Oktober 2014 wurde dieser Ort geräumt und seine Bewohner_innen vertrieben. Die Existenz von Freiräumen und sozialen Nischen hat für lange Zeit das Image Berlins geprägt. Mit der der Räumung der Cuvrybrache hat Berlin einen weiteren solchen Ort verloren.
Watch the movie in DE or RU
UNTER ODER ÜBER – documentary, 36′, 2012
co-directing with Mireia Guzmán
The film deals with the much speculated issue of the end of the world in 2012 and questions opinions of random passers in Berlin around that topic. The filming happend in November 2012, just few weeks before the great event in question was supposed to take place.