Closeness

Tesnota

1998, Nalchik, North Caucasus, Russia. 24-year-old Ilana, who is a member of a close-knit Jewish community, works in her father’s garage to help him make ends meet. One evening, her extended family and friends gather to celebrate the engagement of her younger brother. Later that night, the young couple is kidnapped, and a ransom demand is delivered… The first-time director – a student of Alexander Sokurov – delivers a daring debut about the blood that runs through our veins creating the tightest of ties, and the blood that is spilt in the name of “mutual tolerance”.

Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Direction: Kantemir Balagov

Script: Anton Yarush, Kantemir Balagov

Cinematography: Artem Yemelyanov

Editing: Kantemir Balagov

Sound: Andrey Nikitin

Actors: Darya Zhovner, Olga Dragunova, Artem Tsypin

Production: Example of Intonation – Alexander Sokurov's Fund, Lenfilm

Producers: Nikolay Yankin, Edward Pichugin, Alexander Sokurov

Costumes: Lydia Kryukova

Make Up: Elena Grigoryeva

Format: DCP

Color: Color

Production Country: Russia

Production Year: 2017

Duration: 118΄

Distribution in Greece: Seven Films

Contact: Wild Bunch

Kantemir Balagov

Born in 1991 in Nalchik, Kantemir Balagov joined the film department of the city’s university, founded and directed by the renowned Russian director Alexander Sokurov, directing three short films in the course of his studies. His first feature film Tesnota – A Cramped Life (also known as Closeness) earned the FIPRESCI Prize at the “Un Certain Regard” section of the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.