Unclenching The Fists
Serene, observational portrait of a young woman trapped in a stifling family situation in the mountainous, poverty-stricken, Russian region of Ossetia.
The small mining town of Mizur lies high in the mountains of North Ossetia between steep cliffs. Zaur has settled his family here. He keeps his sons and daughter on a short leash, blind to the line that separates fatherly concern from overprotectiveness. His eldest, Akim, has already run off to the nearest city, Rostov, to find work. Meanwhile, his youngest, Dakko, isn’t entirely sure yet what he wants out of life, while middle child, Ada, is actively planning her own escape. Although she’s already a young woman, her father still insists on treating her like a defenceless little girl. Freeing herself from his strong paternal embrace to finally embark on an independent adult life of her own is proving tougher than she anticipated.
UNCLENCHING THE FISTS is the second feature film by Kira Kovalenko, a former student of Russian grandmaster Alexander Sokurov. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Un Certain Regard Award.