Anatoli, a former anti-Soviet activist who is now a monk and an artist, lives in an ancient stone tower in the heart of Tallinn. Day by day, he prays for nature and creates self-made books in his workshop. Many years ago, Anatoli made a vow to find something good in every day. The outbreak of war in Eastern Ukraine makes him leave the peaceful Estonian capital and go to the frontline towns with a mission to work as a volunteer. Since 2014, he has combined the spiritual life with social activism, constantly traveling to the Donbas to deliver humanitarian aid. His vow is being tested by the reality of the ‘grey zone’.
Content advisories: depiction of war
CREW:
Director: Ulyana Osovska, Denis Strashny
Producer: Ulyana Osovska, Denis Strashny, Ülo Pikkov
Cinematographer: Denis Strashny
Editor: Mirjam Jegorov
Sound: Vasyl Yavtushenko
Production
Docutoloka, Silmviburlane
Director
Ulyana Osovska
Ulyana Osovska graduated in international economics from the Kyiv National Economic University. In 2014 she co-founded the Docutoloka company. Ulyana debuted as a director in 2015 with the short documentary Election Agent. Her full-length documentary debut Almost 10,000 Voters had its world premiere at the 33rd Warsaw Film Festival and entered the competition of the 2018 Docudays UA.
Selected Filmography
Election Agent (2015),
Almost 10,000 Voters (2017),
Lifelong Songs (2019),
Tales of a Toy Horse (2021)
Director
Denis Strashny
Denis Strashny graduated from the Kyiv International University, majoring in cinematography. Since 2009 he has been working as an independent filmmaker. In 2014 he co-founded the Docutoloka company and started collaborating with Ulyana Osovska as a producer and co-author. In 2015 Denis Strashny started to produce documentaries with Ulyana. Tales of a Toy Horse is their third collaboration.
Selected Filmography
Election Agent (2015),
Almost 10,000 Voters (2017),
Lifelong Songs (2019),
Tales of a Toy Horse (2021)
