A woman's journey of connection through the lens of a camera explores the bittersweet reality of familial bonds stretched across continents and the silent struggle against time and illness.
AWARDS: Tënk Award at Visions du Réel/ Family Film Project Honorable Mention/ Serge Daney Award Honorable Mention
OFFICIAL SELECTION: Visions du Réel/ Côté Court 2021, Kasseler Dokfest 2020, Ji.hlava Documentary FF 2020, New Directors/New Films 2021n Faito Doc Festival 2021, West Lake International Doc Festival 2020, KIN International Women’s FF 2020, DokuBaku 2020
Without you, Without me - A camera becomes a bridge over the vast distances of love and loss
This poignant documentary tells the story of a filmmaker who, after relocating from Russia to France as a child, maintains her ties with her distant family through video calls. Secretly filming these conversations, she captures the mundane and significant moments of her separated family's life.
The emotional weight of this physical and emotional distance grows when she discovers her cousin Sonia's battle with cancer. As Sonia's time dwindles, the filmmaker grapples with the limitations of her remote connections and the desire to be closer. The documentary weaves together these secretly captured dialogues and personal reflections, painting a touching narrative about love, loss, and the meaning of presence in the age of digital communication.