Ok good, Pinega

Directed by Sasha Kulak and Yuliya Kurmangalina

The vast territories beside the Pinega river in northwest Russia are covered by woods and inhabited by more wild animals than people, besides a few villages who live mostly from the forests, fishing, and gardening. Society here can only be described as a matriarchy, where beliefs, spells, and traditional rituals are passed down the female line. Musical contributions from village residents serve as a leitmotif for the film: unsteady renditions of old songs that reveal performances belonging to a distant past. The population of these communities has aged considerably — but the place itself is timeless.