Men’s choice
About the film
Title: Men’s choice
Title in Russian: Мужской выбор
Production company: Ethnogeographic Research Foundation; co-production Relation04Media, Norway, Illume Fims, Finland
Country of production: Russia, Norway, Finland
Year of Production: 2014
Duration: 67 min.
Film crew
Film director: Elena Demidova
Producer: Vlad Ketkovich, Karl Emil Rikardsen, Pertti Veijalainen
Director of photography: Alexei Strelov, Ivan Finogeev, Elena Demidova
Sound director: Rune Hansen
Editor
Elena Demidova
Logline
Project about men who to support their families have to leave these families - about shift workers, producing gas on the Yamal Peninsula, RussiaSynopsis
This film tells us three stories about men extracting natural gas in Bovanenkovo on the Yamal Peninsula where the pipeline "Nord Stream" starts from.There are three heroes – a young assistant driller, a successful boiler room chief engineer, and an old plumber. For all of them working for Gazprom is the only opportunity to earn real money because there are no high paying jobs in their hometowns so they have been forced to leave their families for a long time to be able to support them.
These men do their hard work literally on the edge of the world. Winter lasts more than 260 days a year, and even locals (the Nenets people) migrate to the south during that time. Frost, snowstorms, strong winds and separation from families... They have to decide whether the money is worth all the family problems they causes. Each of them makes his own choice.
Creators
About the film director Elena Demidova:Elena Demidova is Russian film director, scriptwriter and producer. She was born in Russia. She graduated from Moscow State Technical University in 1987 and Voronezh State University (The Faculty of History) in 1997. Director’s education: film school “Internews”, Moscow. Her films are broadcasted on number of TV channels and participate and win awards at many International Film Festivals. Participant of Hot Docs Forum, Leipzig Doc Coproduction Meeting, Baltic Forum, Dragon Forum, and Below Zero Pitching Forum.
Selected Filmography:
Live water, 2006
International festival of television programs and films “The Golden Drum”, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, 2006, Grand prix
Ark, 2007
International Film Festival KINOTEATR.DOC, 2007, Moscow, Russia, prize
International Film festival Festival “Shakens stars”, 2007, Almaty, Kazahstan, prize
The multiplication table, 2007
Short Film Competition "All human beings are free and equal", Goethe-Institute and Future and Remembrance Fund, 2007, prize
Human Rights Documentary Film Festivals DOCUDAYS, Kiev, Ukraine, 2008, diploma
Its time to go home, 2008
XVIII International Zolotoy Vityaz Film forum, Lipeck, Rossia, 2009, diplom,
Internacional filmfestival war cinema n.a. Ozerov, Russia, 2009, diploma
Mohicans, 2008
Internacional film festival "Saratov sufferings", Saratov, Russia, 2009, Special prize
Cranberry Island, 2010
"Message To Man" International Documentary, Short and Animated Films Festival, 2010, St. Petersburg, Russia, Special Prize
Open Film Festival of CIS countries, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia "Kinoshock”, 2010, Anapa, diploma
Lesha, 2011
"Message To Man" International Documentary, Short and Animated Films Festival, 2011, St. Petersburg, Diploma
The international festival of films about human rights “Stalker”, Moscow, 2011, Prize
Human Rights Documentary Film Festivals DOCUDAYS, Kiev, Ukraine, 2012, prize
Russian Ecology film festival "Meridian of Hope", St. Petersburg
In 2012 The prize for Best Director XX Russian Film Festival "Window to Europe", Vyborg, Russia, 2012, diploma
TRANZIT Documentary Film Festival, Poznan, Poland, 2012 Minsk
International Film Festival “Listapad”, Minsk, Republic of Belarus, 2012, in program
Millenium International Documentary Film Festival, Brussels, Belgium, 2013, in program
Pärnu International Documentary and Anthropology Film Festival, Pärnu, Estonia, 2013, in competition
NAFA Ethnographic Film Festival, Bilbao, Spain, 2013, in competition
Sasha, Lena and the Iron Dragon, 2012
Open Russian Documentary Filmfestival “Artdokfest”, Moscow, Russia, 2012, in competition
Internacional film festival "Saratov sufferings", Saratov, Russia, 2013, prize
International Film Festival "MEDIAWAVE", Budapesht, Hungary, 2014, in competition
Men’s choice, 2014
Open Russian Documentary Filmfestival “Artdokfest”, Moscow, Russia, 2014, in competition
About the Producer Vlad Ketkovich, Karl Emil Rikardsen, Pertti Veijalainen:
Vlad Ketkovich was born in 20.09.1971. Graduated Moscow State Teacher Training University, studied at Higher Courses of Scriptwriters and Directors. First filming experiences - visual anthropology: Pigmy people, Peruvian Indians, nomadic Kazakhs, etc.
As a journalist, published articles and photos at GEO, National Geographic and other magazines. In 2000 founded Ethnogeographic Research Foundation.
Vlad Ketkovich has participated in number of International Documentary Workshops and Pitching sessions in 2010-2012, like Hot Docs Forum, LeipzigDoc Co-Production Meeting, EURODOC, Dragon Forum, Ex-Oriente Workshop, INPUT, and EDN’s professional events (Tromso, Thessaloniki, Baltic Sea Forum, etc.)
Vlad Ketkovich is a member of EDN, International Federation of Journalists, Russian Geographical Society and Eurasian Academy of Television and Radio.
About production company Ethnogeographic Research Foundation; co-production Relation04Media, Norway, Illume Fims, Finland:
Since 2005 Ethnogeographic Research Foundation (Ethnofund) has produced more than 20 documentaries (most of them with Russian State support), that are broadcasted on Russian TV channels. Ethnofund has won a number of prizes and diplomas at different Cinema and Television Film Festivals. Starting from 2010 Ethnofund is looking for foreign partners and works with international co-productions. Company’s ambition is to bring Russian directors and Russian stories to international TV and film market.
Distributor
REFLEXION FILMSBack to the section
