Still Free(2023)

A film must confront the world in which it is made, but also the one in which it is shown. When Vadim Kostrov accompanied young couple Katya and Kostya to a nearby lake, and filmed them with the directness for which he is known, he couldn’t foresee the political implications of these images. At the time Kostya was about to join the Russian military – a decision he came to regret later on. It’s breathtaking to witness the film’s playful innocence, while at the same time measuring every word against the destructive nature of war – yet the film outlines more than a political parable: Kostrov reflectively turns towards the few hours of light in the face of an impending darkness, which linger too briefly.