The director Alina Nasibullina, the producer Ivan Yakovenko, and the actors Maksim Matveev and Gennadiy Blinov presented the film Shurale, which is part of the Russian Premiere Competition of the 48th Moscow International Film Festival.
The main character of the film, Aysha, is preparing for her wedding when she suddenly learns that her brother Timur has gone missing. Searching for her brother, she returns to her hometown, where she faces not only her own past but also a secret hidden deep in the forest.
The main character of the film, Aysha, is preparing for her wedding when she suddenly learns that her brother Timur has gone missing. Searching for her brother, she returns to her hometown, where she faces not only her own past but also a secret hidden deep in the forest.
Alina Nasibullina: "My film is based not so much on mythology and legends as on my personal attitude to what we’ve been used to considering inanimate. For me, the forest is a symbol of nature, something humans often exploit and underestimate. The story of Shurale, a character not only in Tatar but also in broader Turkic mythology, seemed very clear to me, even though it emerged when I was already working on the screenplay. It is a forest spirit, a trickster who protects the forest and provokes people".
Maksim Matveev: "I've known Alina for a long time, but we just couldn’t seem to come together creatively, although her unique perspective on the world and her distinctive presence on screen has always attracted me. There’s an undeniable "authenticity" in it, no affectation, just depth, a naturalness free of stereotypes, and true human spontaneity. When Alina asked me to contribute to her debut feature film, I was very inspired. A debut is a game of feeling one’s way, where the director isn’t overwhelmed by externally imposed stereotypes, but acts intuitively. So Alina is a true intuitive; she input a great deal of her own childhood impressions and experiences into the film, which is why the result was a sincere film, a reflection on the role that nature, intuition and the elements play in each of us".
Gennady Blinov: "I knew nothing about Shurale, but when I received the script, I was surprised that, even on a subconscious level, I immediately felt a deep sense of trust to the text. At the same time, however, the challenge was to be responsible for how to translate this text on screen. It’s a film about nature’s betrayal and about how, despite everything, it still calls out to you".
Ivan Yakovenko: "Our company, Bosfor Pictures, called like this because we want to remove barriers and bridge the East and West, has five films in the pipeline, all of which are debuts. Four of them have already been shot, and three of them have taken awards at film festivals. I think debut stories have a unique vibe".
Maksim Matveev: "I've known Alina for a long time, but we just couldn’t seem to come together creatively, although her unique perspective on the world and her distinctive presence on screen has always attracted me. There’s an undeniable "authenticity" in it, no affectation, just depth, a naturalness free of stereotypes, and true human spontaneity. When Alina asked me to contribute to her debut feature film, I was very inspired. A debut is a game of feeling one’s way, where the director isn’t overwhelmed by externally imposed stereotypes, but acts intuitively. So Alina is a true intuitive; she input a great deal of her own childhood impressions and experiences into the film, which is why the result was a sincere film, a reflection on the role that nature, intuition and the elements play in each of us".
Gennady Blinov: "I knew nothing about Shurale, but when I received the script, I was surprised that, even on a subconscious level, I immediately felt a deep sense of trust to the text. At the same time, however, the challenge was to be responsible for how to translate this text on screen. It’s a film about nature’s betrayal and about how, despite everything, it still calls out to you".
Ivan Yakovenko: "Our company, Bosfor Pictures, called like this because we want to remove barriers and bridge the East and West, has five films in the pipeline, all of which are debuts. Four of them have already been shot, and three of them have taken awards at film festivals. I think debut stories have a unique vibe".