Unclenching the Fists

Local title
Rusikast lahti
Title in Russian
Разжимая кулаки
Original title
Razzhimaya kulaki
Director
Kira Kovalenko
Country
Russian Federation
Year
2021
Programme
Current Waves, Main programme of Kinoff
Genre
drama
Subject
society, familial relationships, self-realisation, rural life, women

High in the mountains of North Ossetia lies a small mining town of Mizur. Following certain dramatic events, Zaur moved his children Ada, Akim and Dakko here. His eldest son, Akim, already escaped from his father to work in Rostov. His younger brother, Dakko, has yet to decide what he wants from life, and their sister Ada is actively planning her escape. She is a grown woman but her father still treats her as a baby. The return of her older brother Akim will illuminate the family’s unspoken and unhealed traumas.

"Unclenching The Fists" ― which won the Un Certain Regard Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival ― is the claustrophobic second feature from co-writer and director Kira Kovalenko, who's first feature "Sofichka" competed at PÖFF.

Recommende age 12+

Director
Kira Kovalenko
Screenwriter
Kira Kovalenko, Anton Yarush, Luybov Mulmenko
Cast
Milana Aguzarova, Alik Karaev, Soslan Khugaev, Khetag Bibilov, Arsen Khetagurov
Producer
Alexander Rodnyansky, Sergey Melkumov
DoP
Pavel Fomintsev
Editor
Mukharam Kabulova, Vincent Deyveaux
Production
Non-Stop Productions
World sales
Wild Bunch International
Runtime
Language
Abkhazian
Subtitles
Estonian, English
Other festivals
New York, Vancouver, Jerusalem, Cannes, Toronto, San Sebastian
Director
Kira Kovalenko

Kira Kovalenko (snd 1989)

Sofichka (2016), Unclenching the Fists (2021)

Programme presented by

Screenings

Hall 1 Kino Artis
Screening011502 / Rusikast lahti
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
Hall Kohtla-Järve Kultuurikeskus
Screening023104 / Rusikast lahti
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
Hall Jõhvi Kontserdimaja
Screening103303 / Rusikast lahti
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
Trailer