Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films next Wednesday, August 10: AT THE EDGE OF RUSSIA
Director Michal Marczak has already had success on the festival circuit with his first feature, picking up awards at Nyon, Hot Docs, and Planete Doc Review, in addition to screening at other renowned festivals like Karlovy Vary and True/False.
I wrote about the film out of True/False for indieWIRE, saying:
A newcomer plays a central role in Polish director Marczak’s stunningly shot debut doc feature. The fresh-faced Alexei arrives in remote Siberia to serve as a border guard and is put through his paces by the grizzled and more experienced older soldiers already stationed there. With no women in sight – aside from fatigue-clad girls on calendars – the men act like boys when they’re not practicing drills or digging ice shelters: singing songs, arm-wrestling, and cracking jokes to pass the time in a region that the closing titles reveal has never even had any border encroachment. Like other T/F titles FAKE IT SO REAL and fellow soldier-focused ARMADILLO, AT THE EDGE OF RUSSIA provides a fascinating portrait of a fraternity of men, passing on wisdom despite being stuck in an absurd situation.
Note: Marczak will be present for a post-screening Q&A.
what (not) to doc 