No people so tearless, so proud

Part voyeuristic expose and part celebration, this short film recalls Dostoyevsky’s musings on the Russian people while also showing the massive breadth and depth of Russian heritage, ethnicity, style, culture, and art. 

Glacier-cracked mountains contrast against the swimming Orca whale. Massive, expansive forests against volcanoes. Archival dance footage against modern-day neon-lit street race. A crowd of caribou before a herd of commuters. The sheer expanse of encompassing Russia is a difficult task, and this short film tackles unconventional history with stereotype-challenging footage, and a complete dismal of foreign expectation.  

In Russia is a piece that does not deny any part of the country, but embraces all of it, from the ballet to the rave. At the end, not one to look past an opportunity for hhumor, Director Vincent Urban shows some of the struggles of the filmmakers; having to walk through snow that’s waist high, filming as actors broke scene and laughed. The lightheartedness at the end is a perfect way to finish the piece, breaking apart the intensity and highlighting the camera crew (and co-creators) Max Neumeier and Tim  Höeddinghaus from 27km that made this incredible film happen.