The Russian Resurrection Film Festival is one of the largest, oldest and most respected Russian film festivals outside of Russia. For its 16th anniversary, the Sydney season of its national tour will screen new releases and favourites from both stalwarts of Russian cinema and rising stars, plus a special retrospective of Russian director Pavel Lunginat’s huge canon at Event Cinemas George Street.
There’s everything from comedies to thrillers on the cards this year amongst the 19 featured films. In the horror department is Kirill Sokolov’s Why Don’t You Just Die! This chaotic, bloody masterpiece visited the Sydney Film Festival earlier this year and is back to bring together murderous mayhem, very dark humour and gallons of gore in this non-linear story set in a single apartment.
If you’re looking for laughs, check out the empowering story about a collection of women hell-bent on retribution against their philandering lovers, Mistresses. Those seeking out action should book tickets to Hero, a tale of double-crossing spy agencies, or director Pavel Lungin’s controversial film Leaving Afghanistan, which chronicles the withdrawal of the USSR from the Soviet-Afghan war in 1989.
Your nerves will be on high alert during thrillers like Outbreak, which follows a family during an epidemic which paralyses Moscow, and New Year’s Eve disaster flick, Breakaway.
For families who loved Frozen, there’s an even more magical animated icy adventure coming to the festival. In Snow Queen: Mirrorlands, it’s up to heroine Gerda to return magic to the world after it’s banished, facing-off against trolls, pirates and a queen on the way.
Check out the full program for the Russian Resurrection Film Festival that’ll be screening from November 7-17. A standard single ticket will set you back $24, or you can nab a three-film pass for $57 and see five films for $80.