White Willow

A pack of strays – seven dogs and one woman live in the shadows of Moscow. Hidden from the totalitarian authorities, two species share their existence on the verge of disappearance. They are straying in constant restlessness through a savage landscape where the city is cracking. Shot from the animal’s point of view, patterns of mutual dependence and taming begin to blur.

For the last 22 years, Viktor Stepanov has lived deep in the forest, five kilometres from the nearest village. His home is a canopy of dense fabric in several layers, an iron stove and an earthen floor. Thoughts about nature and man’s place in the biosphere have accompanied Viktor all his life. He says that after nine months living in the forest you are left “naked”: one-on-one with yourself. At times there is nowhere to hide from melancholy, but the hermit draws strength from his unbreakable bond with the natural environment.