26 Apr 2018
A full-blown immersion into the Russian military, Alexander Abaturov's disquieting feature-length documentary The Son follows two war stories simultaneously. - The Hollywood Reporter
This screening is a UK premiere
Join us for a Q&A with director Alexander Abaturov following the screening, hosted by Nick Bradshaw, Web Editor at Sight & Sound
In Siberia, a group of young recruits compete in harsh conditions to join the elite Spetsnaz special forces. At home, a family grieves for a lost son, killed in 2013 at the age of 21. Interweaving these narratives, The Son immerses us in the intense world of the Russian military training apparatus, observing the changes that take place in young soldiers as they prepare for violent conflict, their lives intertwined with the fate of the group.
With a tone that is simultaneously empathic and detached, the film negotiates complex ethical questions about the representation of violence and the state, while also offering a sensitive portrait of family grief.
The Son (Syn), dir. Alexander Abaturov, France/Russia 2018, 71 mins, Russian with English subtitles
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To learn more about Frames of Representation (FoR) 2018, please download the FoR booklet here [PDF]
Frames of Representation (FoR): New Visions for Cinema 2018 is presented in academic partnership with CHASE (Consortium for the Arts and Humanities South-East England)
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