Found Footage, Russian-Style

Manifesto is a startling collage documentary — and kinda problematic

It begins and ends with an image of the sky, slightly darkened, clouds whizzing by. We all share this same sky. It’s the world back down on earth that’s so riven by arbitrary and hateful divisions.  

Nationhood is an accident of birth. For Russian children, it’s a gross misfortune. Through no fault of their own, they have only known one leader their entire lives. A leader who ferments hatred against foreigners and portrays the once-great nation as a victim of Western aggression. A leader who has made the lives of his citizens considerably worse in favour of enriching himself. 

goEast competition entry Manifesto is a found-footage film, anonymous collective Angie Vinchito collating thousands of YouTube, CCTV footage and TikTok videos to portray the everyday life of Russian schoolchildren. Not since School (Valeria Gai Germanika, 2010) has the future of the nation’s youth looked so bleak. 

Read more over at Journey Into Cinema!