International Maritime & Adventure
Film Festival
THE SEA CALLS!
Competition program of the XXI IFF "The Sea Calls!" -2024
“Depth Hunters”, Russia, 2021, 52 min.
LLC "Magic Mountain"
Pavel Demidov and his team of thrill-seeking speleologists reveal the secrets of our planet. They set the new world record by conquering the Verevkina cave in Abkhazia which turns out to be the world's deepest one. Each time the adventurers are not sure they’ll come back home. However, they still go down into the cave to take some samples of unique stalagmites and unknown biological species, despite the dangerous flash floods, as they collected the ideas from scientists from all over the world.
Author and director: Vasilisa Yurenkova, cameramen: Petr Lyubimov, Nadiya Krutko Saballos, Vasilisa Yurenkova, extreme shooting: Petr Lyubimov, interview shooting in the studio: Konstantin Veremeychik, producer: Daria Khrenova, soundmix: Evgeny Koldenkov, composer: Fedor Senchukov.
“Water and freedom. Admiral Makarov”, Russia, 2023, 44 min.
LLC "Film Company "ArtCinema"
The film is dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the birth of Admiral Stepan Osipovich Makarov. Practitioner and theorist, inventor and innovator. Its historical legacy still helps today to educate highly professional maritime personnel in the spirit of devotion to the sea and Russia.
Like the icebreaker "Ermak", which broke through the northern ice, naval officer Stepan Makarov spent his entire life stubbornly punching a hole in the outdated views of society that hindered the development of the Russian Navy.
His work on studying the unsinkability of ships and the practice of fighting for survivability have saved, are saving and will save many sailors. Wherever Stepan Osipovich’s service took him, everywhere he tried, in addition to the exemplary performance of direct official duties, to benefit Russia in other areas accessible to his inquisitive mind. As a result, the works appeared: “On Orthodoxy in Japan”, “On the exchange of waters of the Black and Mediterranean Seas”, “On the works of Russian sailors on the study of the waters of the North Pacific Ocean”.
Scriptwriter and director: Vitaly Kuznetsov, producer: Yulia Pepina, editing: Alexander Evtyushkin, composer: Andrey Kashin
"Just under the surface" (Juste sous la surface), France, 2023, 52 min.
Poisson-Lune Productions / Mediterranean Dream Production
PREMIERE
Have you ever looked underwater with a snorkeling mask? Day or night, right next to the beach, in charming coves, in the clear waters of a small stream or a large lagoon. We are far from imagining the richness of these places right before our eyes. This documentary invites you to dive into the solitude of the shallow depths to discover this underwater universe full of surprises.
Directors: Caroline and Jerome Esplat, editor: Jerome Esplat, producers: Jean-Michel Martinetti, Caroline Esplat, music: Stefan Panunzi
Documentary series "Underwater Romance", Russia
TV channel "78"
“At the Bottom of the Bottle” (2022) - 26 min.
The European sailing ship, which sank at the beginning of the 18th century in the Baltic Sea near the island of Moshchny, is called by underwater archaeologists by the code name “Bottleman”. Divers from the Underwater Research Center of the Russian Geographical Society are lifting boxes of bottles of strong alcohol from its deck. Exactly the same bottles were discovered during excavations in the Tula Kremlin.
The team of the “Underwater Romance” project traces the trade chains that connected Russia and Europe, and, using computer modeling, recreates the appearance of an unidentified sailing ship that was carrying a shipment of valuable goods to St. Petersburg.
Author of the project, director, producer: Roman Kiryukhin, operators: Alexander Zemtsov, Andrey Perfilyev, Oleg Prokhorov, Georgy Ochigava, Konstantin Rudenko, editors: Alexander Zaretsky, Sergey Melnik, graphics: Viktor Sokolov.
"Underwater novel. Battle of Vyborg" Part 1 and part 2 (2022) - 26 min / 25 min.
For several search seasons, divers from the Underwater Research Center of the Russian Geographical Society have been studying a very unusual Swedish sailing ship, sunk in the Baltic Sea during the Battle of Vyborg in 1790. Expensive and elegant objects recovered from the bottom indicate that there was a certain noble military rank on board. Chinese porcelain, a silver spoon and ornate personal weapons become exhibits in Russian museums.
The team of the “Underwater Romance” project is creating a computer model of this Swedish gunboat, building a chronology of the Battle of Vyborg and establishing the identity of the one who went to fight in comfort.
Author of the project, director, producer: Roman Kiryukhin, operators: Alexander Zemtsov, Andrey Perfilyev, Oleg Prokhorov, Georgy Ochigava, Konstantin Rudenko, editors: Alexander Zaretsky, Sergey Melnik, graphics: Viktor Sokolov.
"Underwater novel. Hydrocosmos" (2023) - 26 min.
In 2023, the phenomenon that in our country was called hydronautics turned exactly a century old. Deep-sea diving into the seas and oceans - far beyond a hundred meters - is the development of our engineers and researchers.
The film crew of the “Underwater Romance” project shows unique footage of naval operations that were inaccessible to the general public, and penetrates inside the vehicles that conquer the greatest depths. And the team of the Center for Underwater Research of the Russian Geographical Society near the Kuril Islands makes an experimental dive and divers enter open hydrospace for the first time.
Author of the project, director, producer: Roman Kiryukhin, cameramen: Mikhail Badkhan, Alexey Khorkov, editors: Mikhail Morozov, Dmitry Statsenko.
"Underwater novel. A Matter of Technology" (2023) - 26 min.
The film crew of the “Underwater Romance” project step by step goes through all the stages of researching ships sunk in the Baltic Sea. The film shows the work of the team of the Underwater Research Center of the Russian Geographical Society. Scientists discover unidentified objects on the seabed, conduct surveys, build three-dimensional computer models and dive to depths together with a film crew - in a manned underwater vehicle.
Author of the project, director, producer: Roman Kiryukhin, cameraman: Oleg Prokhorov, editor: Mikhail Morozov.
"Time steamer "Valaam Monastery", Russia, 2023, 27 min.
LLC "Media Division"
At the bottom of the northern part of Ladoga, a team of DIVO divers discovered an underwater object that had not previously been marked on any navigation map of Europe’s largest freshwater lake. The dive made it possible to establish that it was a ship.
How and when did he get there? What is the name of this ship? What is the reason for his death? These and other questions are answered by the documentary film "Time Steamer", filmed using the most modern technologies. Having received scanning data from sonars, as well as using archival documents, the researchers created a highly accurate 3D model of the ship, which made it possible to reveal not only the details of the life of the sunken ship, but also to learn more about one of the unknown pages of our history.
Author: Sergey Kulikov, executive producer: Andrey Vetrov, script and editing director: Elena Vetrova, cameramen: Vladimir Solodov, Oleg Shabunya, Andrey Pavlov, sound director: Stepan Vasilchenko, UAV operator: Nikolay Fedotov
"Misha-Icebreaker", Russia, 2023, 38 min.
LLC "Kinochronika"
A resident of the river workers' village of Zhatai in Yakutia, Mikhail Klus comes from Austro-Hungarian Germans, as evidenced by his rare surname for these latitudes. It is generally accepted that “good for a Russian, death for a German,” but Misha’s family has become so Russified that it does not fit the proverb. Klus is a representative of one of the rarest professions on earth - a ship freezer. Working in the wild frost, Klus, like other frostbitters, dreams of a trip to the sea with his son Sashka. Will he be able to fulfill his dream?
Scriptwriter, director, editor: Dmitry Stepanov, cameraman: Ivan Popikov, producer: Elena Dubkova, composer: Alexander Mironov.
"Overtaking the Wind", Russia, 2023, 28 min.
LLC "Film Studio Asia-Film"
The film tells about the sport of iceboats - winter sailing races on ice, which children and teenagers from a sailing school in the city of Berdsk, Novosibirsk region, do.
Together with coach Igor Matyukhin, a team of young ice boaters goes to the All-Russian competition on Lake Baikal, where on the big ice they will have to compete for the title of first, overtake their rivals and the wind itself.
Scriptwriter, director, cameraman: Stanislav Schubert, producer: Valentina Fedorchenko.
"The hydrograph gives the go-ahead", Russia, 2023, 13 min.
Studio "Blik"
A documentary film about the chance acquaintance of divers of the search and research team with the crew of a hydrographic vessel and the subsequent cooperation, as a result of which a large-tonnage barge from the Great Patriotic War was discovered in the waters of Ladoga.
Scriptwriter: Galina Disterlo, director: Oleg Alekseev, cameraman: Oleg Shabunya, editing: Alexey Disterlo, producer: Sergey Kulikov.
“Roman ship in Ustica Bay” (La nave romana di Ustica), Italy, 2021, 24 min.
"Soprintendenza del mare"
The wreckage of a Roman ship that sank more than 2,000 years ago in the Tyrrhenian Sea was discovered at a depth of 80 meters near the island of Ustica (Sicily). A team of specialists is exploring the depths of the sea to learn more about a sunken ship with a cargo of amphorae.
Writer, director: Riccardo Chingillo.
"Life DELPHI Project" (LifeDELFI: a conflict to resolve) , Italy, 2023, 20 min.
" CNR IRBIM"
The main reason for the conflict between dolphins and fishermen is that marine animals have gotten into the habit of feeding directly from fishermen’s nets, which spoils both fishing gear and the catch. The Life DELFI project offers several options for solving this problem. Scientific research, development of new fishing gear and explaining the situation to citizens are its main components.
Writer, director, editor: Roberto Lo Monaco, producer: CNR IRBIM, voice-over: BarbascuraX.
"Ilya Repin in Samarskaya Luka", Russia, 2020, 55 min.
Studio "Victoria"
The film, an adaptation of Ilya Repin’s autobiographical book “Distantly Close,” tells the story of the Russian artist’s journey along the Volga in search of typical images of barge haulers in the summer of 1870. Viewers will learn about the hard work of barge haulers and who exactly was the prototype of the central figure in the painting “Barge Haulers on the Volga.”
The film also recreates the history of the creation of the House-Museum of I.E. Repin in the Volga village of Shiryaevo.
Scriptwriter, director, producer: Victoria Garmashova, editors: Andrey Abrosimov, Victoria Garmashova
"Naval Cadet Corps in Sevastopol. Past and Present", Russia, 2020, 35 min.
NP TsDFOO "Partnership"
The film tells about the history of the creation of naval cadet corps in Russia by Peter I and about the unique naval corps in Sevastopol. Its difficult but glorious history. This is the last naval cadet corps, which was opened twice: in 1916 and in 1919, at the height of the civil war. From 1920 to 1925 he was in Bizerte. 100 years later, by decree of the President, the Presidential Cadet School was created in Sevastopol, history repeats itself. The film contains unique historical materials and newsreels.
Scriptwriter, director: Nikolai Antipov, cameraman: Georgy Zemlyanov, editor: Sergey Shugalsky, producer: Maral Kazakova.
"Russian Island - the pier of salvation", Russia, 2024, 31 min.
Author's cinema. Sergey Polyakov, Vladivostok
PREMIERE
This unusual story happened more than a hundred years ago, but for many years it was not known about it. 800 children from Petrograd aged 4 to 15 years made a real trip around the world in 2.5 years. The central point of this story was Russky Island.
Author and director: Sergey Polyakov, cameraman: Valery Ivanov, technical consultant: Valery Parkhomenko, editors: Olga Molkina, Galina Pogodina.
“Kronstadt. Blockade. Children. | 80 years since the complete lifting of the siege of Leningrad”, Russia, 2024, 23 min.
LLC "LESTA"
The first film in the documentary series, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the complete lifting of the siege of Leningrad. The film talks about the role of the city of Kronstadt and the people who went through the horrors of the siege.
Script writer, director: Andrey Zakharov, cameramen: Evgeny Belov, Alexey Teselkin, editing director: Alexander Bekker, sound director: Nikita Novikov, producer: Sergey Protasov, project manager: Anastasia Balueva
“Svet”, Russia, 2022, 23 min.
St. Petersburg State Institute of Film and Television
A film about faith, love, unity and the strength of the human spirit during the siege of Leningrad. The main character of the film, Svet Borisovich Tikhvinsky, will tell you what suffering and trials the Leningraders had to go through and, despite the darkness reigning in the world, strengthen the power of light of their souls and win the victory of life over death...
Directors, scriptwriters: Victoria Garayeva, Ivan Kholmov, cameraman, composer: Ivan Kholmov, producer: Victoria Garayeva.
“Marine”, Russia, 2023, 21 min.
FSBI "Land of the Leopard"
The Far Eastern Marine Reserve is a piece of paradise three hours’ drive from Vladivostok, where the exemplary nature of Peter the Great Bay has been preserved. But behind the pristine beauty there are years of work to preserve it.
This film is a first-person look at the “works and days” of the guardians of the reserved sea. State inspectors will talk about clashes with poachers, night raids and rare animals. The film was shot specifically for the anniversary of the reserve, which turns 45 in 2023.
Director: Daniil Goncharov, cameramen: Daniil Goncharov, Alexander Ratnikov, Yuri Zabavin.
“The King of Cormorants”, Russia, 2023, 17 min.
IP Rybakov Leonid Mikhailovich
Little Andrey grows up in a family of ornithologists and dreams of studying birds and their language. But one day he learns that the birds on Lake Baikal are in danger.
Scriptwriter: Daria Razumnikova, cameramen: Daria Razumnikova, Anton Sotnikov, editors: Daria Razumnikova, Elena Galyanina, sound director: Alexandra Neustroyeva, producer: Leonid Rybakov.
“Saints and loved ones. Fedor Ushakov", Russia, 2022, 39 min.
IP Medvedev S.K.
The holy and righteous warrior Fyodor Ushakov stood at the origins of the Russian fleet. The only admiral in world history who did not lose a single battle. Not a single ship under his command was captured by the enemy, not a single sailor was captured.
In 2001, Fyodor Ushakov became the only military sailor who was canonized. Three years later he was canonized. In June 1943, it was decided to establish the Order of Fyodor Ushakov.
Scriptwriters: Sergey Medvedev, Anastasia Stroeva, director: Dmitry Antonov, cameramen: Alexey Klochikhin, Vladimir Shishkin, editor: Alexander Belyaev, producer: Sergey Medvedev.
“600 fighters of Valery Shagin”, Russia, 2024, 27 min.
TV channel of the Federation Council “Together-RF”
One day Valery Shagin decided to find out everything about his grandfather, who died during the Great Patriotic War. The only document he had was the death notice of political instructor Pavel Shagin. It began a study that continues to this day. Working in the archives, Valery learned the entire life path of his relative, found his photographs and was able to look into the eyes of a man whom he had never seen before, and most importantly, he studied in detail the circumstances of the death of political instructor Shagin and 600 other soldiers - young guys from the First Special Regiment of Sailors . They participated in one of the attempts to break the blockade of Leningrad, an operation that was classified for many decades and remained a blank spot even for professional historians.
Script writers, director: Elena Sergeeva, cameramen: Matvey Fedorov, Dmitry Kovnatsky, Alexander Zemtsov, Daniil Erofeev, editing: Alexander Zaretsky, Konstantin Stafeev, sound director: Vazha Bzikadze, producer: Natalya Oboznova.
"Titanic. My love...", Russia, 2023, 17 min.
Television studio of the museum-reserve "Museum of the World Ocean"
On February 7, 1998, the world-famous Hollywood director James Cameron stood on the small stage of a provincial cinema in Kaliningrad and personally presented his already legendary film “Titanic” in Russia.
This grandiose event was a gift in gratitude for participation in the filming of the Kaliningrad ship "Akademik Mstislav Keldysh", its crew and scientific staff. The Museum of the World Ocean with special trepidation keeps in its collections not only entrance tickets to the memorable event, posters and photographs, but also the original deep-sea manned vehicle "Mir-1", without which filming the underwater part of the Titanic would have been impossible.
25 years later, on the anniversary of the film’s showing in Russia, the film crew of the Museum of the World Ocean went on board the Keldysh to personally learn from the participants in the events how the legend was born.
Scriptwriter, director, editor: Dara Naydenova, director, cameraman: Kirill Naydenov.
“Islands in the ocean. Sakhalin. Iturup", Russia, 2024, 56 min.
Television studio of the museum-reserve "Museum of the World Ocean"
PREMIERE
Educational activities are one of the priority areas of work of the Museum-Reserve "Museum of the World Ocean". To introduce viewers to some of the most mysterious places in our country, the film crew set off from the west of Russia to the very east - on an exciting journey to the islands of Sakhalin and Iturup. What connects these regions, and are they so far from each other?
Scriptwriter, director, editor: Dara Naydenova, co-author, cameraman: Kirill Naydenov.
“Not there, but back”, Russia, 2024, 33 min.
IP Semenov Valery Leonidovich
PREMIERE
Arkady Smekalov bought an icebreaking river tug, written off for scrap, and began building a sailing vessel from it - the two-masted gaff ketch “Selenga”. Someone came and twisted it at the temple, someone stayed to help.
Many years have passed since then, and although Selenga has shown its reliability in stormy weather, it is not yet ready for the conditions of the Arctic Ocean. No heating, no storm sails, the engine needs to be rebuilt, permits need to be obtained from border guards, the military at the nuclear test site and national parks. But the die has already been cast, the start date for the expedition has been set.
Director: Valery Semyonov, cameramen: Valery Semyonov, Andrey Gromov, composer: Anton Kobushko.
Great Ocean Love, USA, Australia, 2024, 30 min.
Hightide Production Co.
PREMIERE
Great Ocean Love is part documentary, part road trippin’ surf flick that follows Belinda Baggs, Linley Hurrell and Lilly Pollard on a journey of discovery from the teachings of Gunditjmara whale dreamer Yaraan Bundle. Along the way they meet saltwater women of the deep south who share their love for the rugged coastline that they call home. Directed by Great Ocean Road local Ella Bourne.
Ella Bourne - Director/Producer Belinda Baggs - Talent/Producer Linley Hurrell - Talent/Producer Lucia Santiago - Cinematographer /Editor Lilly Pollard - Talent
“Lost Fleet”, Russia, 2023, 21 min.
Institute of Film and Television (GITR)
The history of the unique research fleet begins in the early 1960s, when the era of active formation of the space program unfolded. Floating measuring points could operate anywhere in the World Ocean, accompanying spacecraft flights.
A participant in the expeditions shares his experience of serving in the “star flotilla,” noting examples of both operational moments on the ship and emergency incidents. During the Soviet era, the naval space fleet was the pride of the country, but it was unable to survive the collapse of the Soviet Union. Almost all the ships were scrapped. The only surviving ship was the ship "Cosmonaut Viktor Patsayev", but it no longer goes to sea.
Script writer, director, producer, editing director, sound engineer: Olga Gorshkova, cameramen/gaffers: Ivan Fomenko, Dmitry Pankratiev, announcer: Dmitry Antonov.
“Seal Island. Caught in a loop", Russia, 2023, 30 min.
OCEAN HD
The nature of Sakhalin is unique and diverse. In the waters of the island you can meet northern fur seals, whose lives are now under threat. There are many reasons for this, but the main danger is people.
A group of volunteers from the Boomerang Club embarks on a challenging journey to the habitat and breeding grounds of these amazing animals to help them disentangle themselves from marine debris.
You will see with your own eyes a sad picture of the suffering and death of animals, as well as the specifics of rescue operations and the work of veterinarians, thanks to which cats can continue to live and give birth.
Not to remain indifferent is the small goal that every viewer of this film is capable of achieving. Indifference breeds inaction, which leads to such sad consequences. Don't stand aside, join those who are fighting to save the animals of their planet.
Scriptwriter: Andrey Khodin, director: Maxim Lebedev, cameraman: Roman Kravchenko.
SPECIAL PROGRAM OUT OF COMPETITION
“The fleet is my destiny”, Russia, 2023, 41 min.
DeS_Vidos production
The documentary tells the story of the life of the legendary Rear Admiral Lev Davydovich Chernavin. The film was created for the 95th anniversary of his birth.
Scriptwriter and director: Denis Shirokov, author of the idea and producer: Galina Chernavina.
“Submariner No. 1 Ivan Burmistrov”, Russia, 2017, 42 min.
Stavropol State Medical University, with the participation of the Library-Museum named after I.A. Burmistrova and the Stavropol regional branch of the All-Russian Fleet Support Movement
Ivan Alekseevich Burmistrov is a Soviet submarine commander, the first military sailor to be awarded the title “Hero of the Soviet Union.” In 1936-1939 he took part in the national revolutionary war of the Spanish people, during which he commanded the submarines S-6, S-1, and S-4. During the Great Patriotic War, Burmistrov supervised the withdrawal of unfinished submarines from Nikolaev, organized the evacuation of people and cargo from Feodosia, Yalta, Sevastopol, carried out reconnaissance in preparation for the Kerch-Feodosia landing operation and participated in the landing. After the war, upon graduating from the Naval Academy, he was appointed commander of a separate division of submarines under construction in Leningrad. Before retiring, he was engaged in teaching. Upon returning to his native Stavropol, he worked as director of a tannery.
Author of the idea: Andrey Kartashev, filming: Andrey Kartashev, Igor Kartashev, editing: Igor Kartashev.
“The Ice Caravan is Coming”, Russia, 2022, 28 min.
ANO TV-News
The first voyage of the new nuclear icebreaker "Sibir" coincided with the massive imposition of sanctions. European ports began to close for ships from Russia. In this regard, the Northern Sea Route is of great importance for the country.
The film is dedicated to the sailors of Russian icebreakers, their hard work, as well as the prospects for the development of the Arctic.
Scriptwriter and director: Natalya Kadyrova, cameraman: Stas Guryanov, editors: Alexey Nekazakov, composer: Ksenia Prasolova.