Closeness

The northern Caucasus region at the end of the 90s: Ilana is young, unconventional and full of energy. She always manages to escape the suffocating world of her village's Jewish minority. But then her beloved brother and his wife are abducted – it's about money but also about antisemitism. Family and community move closer together, and the pressure on Ilana to conform is growing. Kantemir Balagov's relentless, breathtakingly intense debut feature, produced by Nikolay Yankin and co-financed by Alexander Sokurov, had its world premiere in Cannes and has won accolades on many festivals since. This is not least due to the magnetic presence of its star Darya Zhovner, who – according to the Hollywood Reporter – is an international star in the making.