In late 18th-century Russia, village life is shaped by a fusion of rural superstitions, pagan beliefs and traces of Orthodox Christianity. Twin girls are violently separated when one is believed to be possessed, accused of draining the vitality of her sister. Meanwhile, a young man, branded a freak and outcast, obsessively constructs mechanical wings in a desperate attempt to fly like Icarus. Overseeing this turbulent world are Europeanised feudal lords who maintain brutal, cynical control over the peasants, exacerbating class tensions.

On This Land

The film is about trying to find yourself through a relationship with relatives who are very far away.

Skype

Leonid Desyatnikov is the most played Russian composer of today. Unparalleled, his music is performed all over the world from the Bolshoi Theatre and Paris’s Opéra Garnier to Milan’s La Scala and New York’s Carnegie Hall. While he usually shuns publicity, this time, he will open up to share some of his innermost thoughts. From the genius’s weekday routine and musings to the bold premiere involving the iconic conductor Teodor Currentzis, this movie is an attempt at unraveling the enigma that is the paradox of the composer’s music and persona.