Film Screening: ‘Closeness’ by Kantemir Balagov

Closeness was selected to compete in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. At Cannes, it won the FIPRESCI Prize in the Un Certain Regard section.

1998, Nalchik. A Jewish family is in trouble: the youngest son and his bride do not come home, and in the morning, a ransom note arrives. The ransom is so high that the family is forced not only to sell its small business, but also to seek help from its fellow tribesmen.

ARCC introduces a series of Russian-speaking films rarely or never seen in the UK. These films will be introduced from a transcultural perspective. We encourage our members and audiences to move away from revivalist narratives of origin, nation, and belonging and to reflect critically on vicissitudes of history and art in Russian-speaking space – both inside and outside Russia. We emphasise interconnectedness and complexity of experiences that shape individual and collective imaginaries and the importance of a continuous scholarly and artistic dialogue.

The screening will be preceded by a presentation starting at 6.00 PM and may last up to 45 minutes.