Russia's Mystery Files

Placebo: Alt.Russia(en)

As the band Placebo approach their 20th Anniversary they were given a unique opportunity to play ten cities throughout Russia. In a time when Russia was at the forefront of the world’s current affairs, little was actually reported outside Russia about the internal culture of the country. Fronted by Placebo’s Stefan Olsdal, the film explores the alternative cultures that are present within Russia’s major cities. As the tour travelled through the country the band went out and met various artists, architects, animators and musicians, finding out about the alternative creative culture and celebrating all they have to offer. From Krasnoyarsk in Siberia to St. Petersburg on the Baltic Sea, Placebo: Alt.Russia takes you on the band’s journey through Russia, meeting great characters on the way, investigating the alternative culture in Russia, and taking in the raw emotions of Placebo’s powerful concerts.

Babushka(ru)

Twenty-five years after she moved away, Canadian filmmaker Kristina Wagenbauer (a participant in the 2019 Talent Lab) returns to her native Russia to visit her grandmother – her Babushka – with whom she spent part of her childhood, in this film brimming with tenderness and humour. The two women reflected in the mirror bear an undeniable resemblance, and each seeks to recognize herself in the other. Plumbing her memories, Wagenbauer hopes to re-establish a lost bond of intimacy and to confront the wounds of the past. Babushka has survived the Second World War, the break-up of the Soviet Union, the void that her daughter and granddaughter left behind when they moved abroad, and, more recently, the death of the love of her life. Despite all of this, she holds to life with a strong spirit of resilience.

Kunashir(ru)

Kunashir, one of the biggest islands of the Kuril Archipelago, is situated 16 kilometers from Japan. It was occupied by the Soviet army in 1945. One year later, after a short period of cohabitation, 17.000 Japanese and Ainu people who were living in the Kurils and on Sakhalin were deported to the island of Hokkaido. Since that time Japan has been demanding the return of the Kuril Islands. A peace treaty between the two countries still has not been signed.

Moscow Does Not Believe in Queers(en)

Documentary about the ten days the director spent in Moscow, during the 1986 Moscow Youth Festival, as kind of a gay delegate.

The Hitler–Stalin Pact(fr)

How could Hitler and Stalin, sworn ideological enemies, come to a secret pact in 1939? The captivating and detailed story of the diplomatic fiasco that led to the signing of the Nazi-Soviet pact and its devastating consequences.

The Last Days of the USSR(fr)

From 1989 to 1991 a string of unpredictable events happened that brought to light the rivalry between two men: Gorbachev, hindered by the economic results of his perestroika, and Yeltsin, embodying the hopes of the Russian people. Illustrated with interviews of top protagonists such as Mikhail Gobachev himself, the documentary recounts the critical last two years of the former USSR.

Baker Street Live(en)

The sort film “Baker Street Live” is being produced for December 2016 exhibition “The Masterpieces of Russian Cinematography”. The film is aiming to intrigue the viewer by the strength of British culture taking place within Russian cinematography influencing and shaping the soviet and modern Russian society. The story of two puppets – Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson - undertaking an investigation and finding the lost pages scattered around London by which they are mostly intrigued. As the puppets keep finding page by page, they unveil their own story as if one discovers himself from within. And as ever, the successful investigation by Serlock results in the re-union of the lost pages with their lawful owner.

Pussy Versus Putin(en)

In 2012 two members of anarchistic female band Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years in a Mordovian labor camp for "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred". Russian film collective Gogol’s Wives follow each step of the feminist punk band’s battle against Putin including their first disruptive performances on a trolley bus, shooting a video about transparent elections, a controversial performance in a Red Square cathedral, and footage shot in a jail cell. Support comes from many corners including Madonna who painted the words "Pussy Riot" on her back and wore a balaclava during her Moscow show. The documentary portrays the grim state of present-day Russia, a country starkly divided between conservatism and anarchy. Pussy Riot believes that art has to be free and they're willing to take it to extremes. "Pussycat made a mess in the house," they say, and the house is Russia. The filmmakers do not seek to moralize, they simply edit events and leave viewers to draw their own conclusions.

PQ17: An Arctic Convoy Disaster(en)

Jeremy Clarkson tells the dramatic story of the Arctic convoys of the Second World War, from Russia to the freezing Arctic Ocean.

Veterans(he)

'Veterans', focuses on WW2 veterans, once fighters in the Red Army and now uprooted immigrants, fighting for their place in society. These people, who experienced the twentieth century's bloodiest war as Soviet soldiers, immigrated to Israel after the collapse of the Soviet Union and found themselves in a society that is totally indifferent to their glorious past. The film offers a close and compassionate look at the veterans' lives, fueled by complexity, pain, and an almost silent insult, alongside joy and self-deprecating humor. The feeling of living on borrowed time drives the veterans to embark on what may be their last adventure.

Barbarossa: Hitler Turns East(hu)

Hitler's invasion of Russia was one of the landmark events of World War II. This documentary reveals the lead-up to the offensive, its impact on the war and the brinksmanship that resulted from the battle for Moscow. Rare footage from both German and Russian archives and detailed maps illustrate the conflict, while award-winning historian and author John Erickson provides insight into the pivotal maneuvers on the eastern front.

Alexeï Guerman, cinéaste bien interdit(fr)

Eyes on Russia: From the Caucasus to Moscow(en)

An extremely rare subject by the famed still photographer. A 1934 short.

Beyond the White(ru)

In Northern Russia, a few dozen people still live in their traditional houses surrounded by water, stone, and sand. Cut off from vital infrastructure, almost forgotten by regional governance, these people have to cope with their everyday struggles.

People of Russia(en)

This FitzPatrick Miniature visits the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), the largest geographically unbroken political unit in the world, covering one-sixth of the world's land mass.

The Condemned(en)

With unprecedented access, this documentary looks into the hidden world of one of Russia's most impenetrable and remote institutions - a maximum security prison exclusively for murderers. Deep inside the land of the gulags, this is the end of the line for some of Russia's most dangerous criminals - 260 men who have collectively killed nearly 800 people. The film delves deep into the mind and soul of some of these prisoners. In brutally frank and uncensored interviews the inmates speak of their crimes, life and death, redemption and remorselessness, insanity and hope. The film tracks them though their unrelenting days over several months, lifting the veil on one of Russia's most secretive subcultures to reveal what happens when a man is locked up in a tiny cell for 23 hours every day, for life. A startling insight into inscrutable minds and the forbidding world they have been condemned to. (Storyville)

Rock(ru)

Documentary — featuring both interviews and live footage — about underground rock music in Russia, during the last years of the Perestroika.

And When They Shall Ask(de)

Putin's Games(en)

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia will be the first ever to be held in a subtropical resort. The most expensive games ever break all records when it comes to corruption and megalomania. Putin's administration has everyone at its beck and call, from oligarchs down to the ordinary people who have to pay the Olympic bill. Both the powerful and the weak speak out in this investigative documentary, which unveils the hidden story behind Putin's games. Government critic Garry Kasparov says that Putin's Olympic propaganda is really all about speeding up the privatization of land in Sochi. Many inhabitants have had to make way for hotels, ski jumps and a large harbor, which were subsequently swept away by storms and landslides – the Olympic village was built on a swamp in the hottest region of Russia. To a large extent, the story of these environmentally unfriendly Olympic Games is one of threats and enormous misappropriations of money.

The Real Doctor Zhivago(en)

Dr. Zhivago is one of the best-known love stories of the 20th century, but the setting of the book also made it famous. It is a tale of passion and fear, set against a backdrop of revolution and violence. The film is what most people remember, but the story of the writing of the book has more twists, intrigue and bravery than many a Hollywood blockbuster. In this documentary, Stephen Smith traces the revolutionary beginnings of this bestseller, to it becoming a pawn of the CIA at the height of the Cold War.

Red(en)

An ambitious young woman starts her first day on the job in a sales position and realizes it's not what she bargained for, when everyone starts questioning her ability to fit into her new role.

Condor's Nest(en)

American war veteran Will Spalding has tracked the sadistic Nazi Colonel who executed his bomber crew during WWII to a remote location in South America. But he is in for more than he bargained for when he uncovers a secret Nazi headquarters known as the Condor's Nest.

Mad Enough to Kill(fr)

Julie Ballenger has spent five years in a psychiatric clinic. Leaving the clinic apparently cured, she is hired by a wealthy industrialist, Mostri, to work as a governess to his young nephew, Thomas. The boy is heir to a huge fortune after the recent death of his wealthy parents who died in mysterious circumstances. During a visit to a park, Julie and Thomas are kidnapped at gun-point and driven away to deserted quarry. The two hostages manage to escape, but are closely pursued by an armed killer...

Fien & Teun: Circus op de boerderij(nl)

Celebrate the best surprise party ever with Fien, Teun and all their animal friends in their brand new cinema film! Once again full of cheerful – well-known and new – songs.

Dune(hu)

Sounds as witnesses. They blurr into memories, half-dreams, it is undecided if they are real or not. A fluctuation between imagination and reality.

Ammachi Yemba Nenapu(kn)

Based on three short stories by the celebrated Kannada writer, Kendra Sahitya Academy awardee Dr. Vaidehi. With dialogue in the characteristic regional dialect of coastal Karnataka. Woman’s eternal striving for identity in a patriarchal society is told through the story of a young woman resisting being married off, an older woman gone mad after her husband left her and an older woman being indebted to a family who's matriarch took her in when she was left by her husband at a young age.

Battle Over Britain(en)

A young pilot, fresh out of training, is called to join a Flight while they wait for the call to scramble. Throughout a single day, he witnesses the skies of southern England filled with deadly dog fights, and after every exhausting battle the men return to their dispersal hut, only to find another of their number missing. Unwilling to surrender, the pilot and his comrades unite to take to the skies once more, determined to defend not only the airfield, but their entire country.

In the Night(de)

This live-action short subject commissioned for the 75th birthday of German romantic composer Robert Schumann juxtaposes flowing water imagery with the piano playing of artist Nina Hanson.

The Art of Piano - Great Pianists of 20th Century(en)

This is a film that encapsulates the essence of a great pianistic age that married virtuosity and musicianship with the most thrilling aspect of individual showmanship.

Vällingby - framtidsstaden(sv)

A Swedish documentary about Vällingby.

Dogman's Rabies: Underdog(it)

Inspired by one of the most savage and violent crimes committed in Rome in the 1980s, "Rabbia Furiosa" is the story of Fabio, a small-time neighborhood crook, known as “Er Canaro” (the Dog Man) who suffers years of abuse and mistreatment from Claudio, a local boss of the criminal underworld. When he is driven to desperation and the brink of madness, he will carry out a terrible and bloody act of vengeance...

Kurt Josef Wagle and the Legend of the Fjord Witch(no)

Is The Fjord Witch superstition, or is it true that Satan's bride lives across Melkelva in the forest by Grytefjord? Does Tordenskjold find himself or someone else entirely? Who would win in a magic battle between Jesus and Harry Potter? These and other questions are answered in Kurt Josef Wagle's lost video footage.

The Hawk(es)

Criminals control Mexico and wrestling is now illegal. A retired fighter and a policewoman join forces to stop the perfidious criminal who has kidnapped her son.

Avatar(es)

Tension mounts between a quadraplegic man and his wife as she prepares a bath for him.

Aviso aos Navegantes(pt)

In Buenos Aires, Frederico hides in a ship going to Rio de Janeiro to travel for free. But Azulão, the cook, finds him and blackmails him into working in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Alberto, the captain, receives a radio message saying that there was a dangerous international spy on board. Things get worse when some passports are mixed-up.

Oprah Winfrey Presents: Becoming Michelle Obama(en)

Oprah and Michelle Obama sit down for a conversation about Mrs. Obama's much-anticipated, upcoming memoir, Becoming. Here, Mrs. Obama explains why the word "becoming" sums up her journey.

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremony(en)

Opening Ceremony

Vacation as Never Before(de)

Bank manager John Valera is a man of the world, a dazzling-looking gentleman from head to toe. Tired of his business, he one day leaves everything to have a rest, leaves his workplace in Berlin and travels incognito to Italy, where he wants to unwind and spend a holiday like never before. As his travel budget starts to shrink more and more, Valera is not reluctant to accept various jobs and earns his living as a jazz trumpeter, servant, chauffeur and assistant to a gang of thieves.

Dog City: The Movie(en)

This parody of film noir and gangster flicks takes us through the dangerous town of Dog City, teeming with colorful Muppet Dog characters. Rowlf the dog is your guide through the underside of canine life during the 1930s in Dog City. Our hero, Ace, enters the world of bulldog gangsters and terrier molls when he inherits a saloon from his late Uncle Harry. Unwilling to pay protection money, Ace finds himself the target of Bugsy, a bulldog bully who owns most of Dog City. Life can be ruff!

Kill yourself on halloween(pt)

A movie about the blue ghost and missing people on halloween