Synopsis
In 2016, authoritarian president Vladimir Putin creates a cadet school, whose goal is to train military personnel to join the Russian National Guard. The school receives children and teenage volunteers as they undergo a strict training program over the years. In this documentary, the director permeates this daily life as a photographer, looking for loopholes that allow him to “hack” the system from fixed shots, close-ups, and sound clips. The austerity in the film’s images is the same austerity of military culture, and thus emerges a portrait of this reality. (M. M)
Trailer
Director

Alex Evstigneev
Alex Evstigneev was born and grown in Shatura, Russia. He has been studying Documentary Filmmaking at Russian State Institute of Cinematography n.a. Sergej Gerasimov (also known as VGIK), course of Viktor Lisakovich and Alexej Geleyn. Alex makes documentaries, short films, commercials, and music videos.
Credits
Producers
Writers
Cinematographer
Editor
Sound
Composer
Festivals
Visions du Réel
Ethnocineca – International Documentary Film Festival
Krakow Film Festival
Nordic Youth Film Festival