Elena

Director's Statement

I’m thrilled by the chance this story provides to explore the central idea of the early modern period: survival of the fittest, survival at any cost. With the growth of individual freedoms, society requires a corresponding growth of solidarity. Ever-increasing disengagement and individualism mean that people start to behave more and more like a bunch of tarantulas in a jar. Deep down inside, each human being is devastatingly alone. Solitude is the beginning, the end, and the thin red line that runs through the life of every human being. Humanitarian ideas in the modern world are being devalued as we speak, losing currency every day. Existing in this state, people turn inwards, gravitating towards ancient instincts and animal origins. This will be a rough drama - a pitiless, uncompromising look at human nature. We see two old people who have what appears to be an entirely normal relationship. You could even say that these people love each other, though it’s not a passionate youthful kind of love. We see their mutual care, gentleness and tact, which along with their dedication and fairness persuade us that they are bound by a lasting love. However, if we choose to call the illusion of a commercial relationship ‘love’, then in a moment of crisis, individuals will always act first and foremost in their own interests. This is a drama for today, told in a modern cinematographic language subjecting the viewer to eternal questions about life and death. A monster disguised as a saint, a repenting sinner facing her idols in a temple - how is that for an image of the Apocalypse? The Devil is powerless when he stands before the face of God. Man is powerless in the face of Death. And God is powerless in the face of Man’s freedom of choice. Humanity holds the key to the future of this trinity.