The Wall

synopsis

The Stalin Cult is once again gaining in strength in Russia. Every December 21st, the former Communist leader’s admirers gather to honor him on Red Square, at the site of his grave in the Kremlin Wall. In this observational documentary, the Russian director introduces the principle of “walking heads” – the majority of the footage consists of long takes showing the faces of the people waiting in line to place flowers and pay homage in front of a bust of Stalin. Accompanied by the sound of shuffling feet, a representative sample of various human types parades in front of our eyes, their faces reflecting almost a sacred reverence for a man who was responsible for the murder of several millions of their fellow citizens.

"Imagine thousands of Jews praying to Hitler’s grave. Impossible? How people can worship the one who annihilated them? In modern Russia we can witness a similar paradox." D. Bogolubov

biography

After completing law school, Dmitry Bogolubov (1980) obtained a degree in documentary and television production from the Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK). He focuses on making television documentaries and advertisements and also creates visual effects for Russian films. He has directed the films Neglected (2011) and Oleg the Wise (2014), both of which have received several awards in Russia. He also was the cinematographer for the documentary On the Edge (2014), directed by his wife, Anna Shishova-Bogolubova.

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