Maria

Thus she speaks to her son for the first time since he suddenly vanished six months ago. When his voice breaks the heavy silence on the other end of the line the despair on her face is mingled with a sense of heartfelt relief. The conflict is irreconcilable however: her son is an Islamist terrorist willing to sacrifice innocent lives.

Unusual as an almost exclusively one-way telephone conversation as the basis of a visual narrative might seem, renowned stage actress Madlen Dzhabrailova offers a sensitive portrayal of the main character in a performance both powerful and yet able to convey the gravity of the situation using but a few gestures. Director Grigory Kolomytsev's visual approach underscores the bleak and short-spoken tone, whilst tight close-ups and a sober palette of colour draw our attentions to the contradictory emotions Maria experiences in a short period of time, as well as the immense pressure she finds herself under. DJ