Old Believers

The author filmed this black-and-white essay over a period of five years in the Danube Delta. Strongly bound to the faith, language, and customs of their ancestors, the descendants of the „Old Believers“ live here, having been forced to leave Russia in the 17th century due to a religious schism. Their persecution scattered them to various parts of the world, but few places allowed them to maintain such a fascinating purity of lifestyle, independent of the changes in the surrounding world, as in the remote regions of Romania. Raised in a deep religious faith that governs their relationship to the world, these people believe they are surrounded by guardian angels and devils and cannot imagine their existence without the cross they wear as a symbol of their faith.

This is an exceptionally artistic and spiritually contemplative documentary. The way Ševčíková works with images and sound plays a major role. Jaromír Kačer’s camera composes static, artistically pure shots that resemble paintings or icons.

DIRECTOR Jana Ševčíková
SCREENWRITER Jana Ševčíková
D.O.P. Jaromír Kačer
EDITOR Lucie Haladová
MUSIC Alan Vitouš
SOUND REMASTERING Pavel Dvořák
IMAGE REMASTERING (2021) i/o post

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