- year : 2022
- country : Russia
- timing : 24:41'
- genre : documentary
- production : St. Petersburg State Institute of Cinema and Television
written by Olga Kosmina
directed by Arina Kosmina
produced by Olga Kosmina, Nikita Pavlutsky
DoP Arina Kosmina
sound by Gleb Anikeychik
editors Arina Kosmina, Maxim Zorin
Shaman, Priest, UAZ Driver and Grandmother Valya are residents of the village of Khuzhir, the only settlement on the island of Olkhon in the middle of Lake Baikal. The characters of the film talk about their lives and the problems they face while living in a special place. The main character is Lake Baikal, which gives people the strength and faith to cope with all difficulties.
- International student film festival «Piterkit», Best Cinematography (2022, Russia, St. Petersburg)
- Russian Film Festival «White Bird», Best film about the environment (2022, Russia, Kazan)
- International Film Festival «Salt of the Earth», Best Cinematography (2022, Russia, Samara)
- Independent Youth Film Festival "Masshtab", Special Diploma (2022, Russia, St. Petersburg)
- International Documentary Film Festival «Artdokfest» (2023, Russia, Moscow)
- Toronto International Women Film Festival, Best cinematography (2023, Canada, Toronto)
- Rain International Nature Film Festival, Silver Elephant Award for the Best Documentary (2023, India, Muvattupuzha)
- Festival of student and debut films "Saint Anna", Long list (2023, Russia, Moscow)
- SHORT to the Point International Short Film Festival, Best Documentary (2023, Romania, Bucharest)
- Moscow International Film Festival (2023, Russia, Moscow)
- Arctic International Film Festival «Golden raven» (2023, Russia, Anadyr)
- International Film Festival "Sea Is Calling!", Special Prize (2023, Russia, St. Petersburg)
- Russian Festival of Patriotic Cinema "Malaya Zemlya" (2023, Russia, Novorossiysk)
- International festival of student works by sound engineers "INTONATIONS", Best sound solution in a non-fiction film - Gleb Anikeychik, Prize from the Guild of Sound Engineers of the Union of Cinematographers - Gleb Anikeychik (2023, Russia, St. Petersburg)
- KSTOkino Russian Film Festival (2023, Russia, Kstovo)
- Baikal International Film Festival "PEOPLE AND ENVIRONMENT" n.a V. Rasputin (2023, Russia, Irkutsk)
- International Tour Film Festival (2023, Italy, Rom)
- International Festival of Ethnological Film, Special Mention for Cinematography (2023, Serbia, Belgrade)
- Ariano International Film Festival (2023, Italy, Ariano Irpino)
- Silver Lake International Tourism & Ecology Film Festival (SILAFEST) (2023, Serbia, Veliko Gradiste)
- Astra Film Festival (2023, Romania, Sibiu)
- Volgograd Torch Russian Film Festival (2023, Russia, Volgograd)
- Pechka International Rural Film Festival (2023, Russia, Shelota)
- Moscow International Film Festival "Budem Zhit" (Let's live) (2023, Russia, Moscow)
- Russian Ethnographic Film Festival "Crimean Frame", Diploma of the laureate (2023, Russia, Simferopol)
- VGIK International Student Film Festival (2023, Russia, Moscow)
- Golden Eagle Award, Long list (2023, Russia, Moscow)
- Video-art Festival "Black and White Rainbow", Best Documentary (2023, Russia, Togliatti)
- Northern Character International Film Festival (2023, Russia, Murmansk)
- International festival-workshop of film schools “Kinoproba” (2023, Russia, Yekaterinburg)
- Bastau International Student and Debut Film Festival, Jury Special Mention (2023, Kazakhstan, Almaty)
- Youth Short Film Festival “Hazelnut” (2024, Russia, Moscow)
- Unknown Russia Documentary Film Festival (2024, Russia, Moscow)
Director’s statement
The documentary film Heart of the Baikal was filmed on Olkhon Island, which is located in the middle of Lake Baikal. The island seemed utterly utopian, a place where strong-willed people live in perfect unity with nature and with each other, ready to cope with all the trials of the world. And it is Baikal that gives the protagonists their strength and faith.
When we first visited this place, we were struck by the richness and diversity of nature on the island and on the waters of the Great Lake itself. The locals consider Baikal to be a living being, an entity. Baikal is the main protagonist of the film, since it is the Great Lake on the banks of which you find truly amazing people that we filmed.
The composition of the film is based on a series of portrait sketches of the islanders, who differ from each other in religion, character, and views.
We were faced with the task of showing not only the spiritual beauty of these unique people, but what unites them and gives them strength. In full communion with nature, with the mighty Lake Baikal, the individual voices of the characters merge at the end of the film into a single symphony of love, hope and faith.
ABOUT THE FILM DIRECTOR:
Arina Kosmina was born on 19.09.1999 in St. Petersburg. In 2022, she graduated from the St. Petersburg State Institute of Cinema and Television as a Director of photography.
FILMOGRAPHY:
2022 - «The Heart of Baikal», documentary \ debut
