Country: Italy
Year: 2002
Duration: 90'
Tales of young women that leave or dream of leaving Ukraine in search of a better future in the West. Some look for an husband, some believe the promise of a serious work abroad, some others are convinced they have contacts who will help them find a serious job, still others are ready to do anything because, as an old Russian proverb says, "no risks, no champagne". ). But the dream of the West more often than not turns into a nightmare. Anja ends up in a Polish brothel, Natasha tempts young girls into becoming models for her improbable agency, Irina has spent all her savings on a fifteen-days visa in Italy.
"Till quite recently, behind that wall that divived us from them, Eastern women appeared to be well educated and aware Until a few years ago, we western women thought women from Eastern Europe were well-educated and aware, professional women and factory workers, impeccable young gymnasts, astronauts smiling confidently next to their male colleagues, scientists. Women who participated, with a certain pride, in building up their society. Today the majority of these women seem to have just one impulse: go West, whatever it costs. A 'Russian roulette' that too often destroys those who dare playing it, while the merchants of dreams prosper undisturbed" (E. Colusso).
Biography
film director
Enrica Colusso
Enrica Colusso (Rome, Italy, 1962) studied arts and letters at the University of Rome before moving to Paris, where she attended Ateliers Varan, and then graduating in documentary directing from London’s National Film and Television School. The director of numerous documentaries, her film Fine pena mai (1995) won Best Director at the Sulmona Cinema Giovani festival and Best Film at the San Benedetto del Tronto festival and at Maremma Doc. Chi non rischia non beve champagne (2001-02) received a special mention at Florence’s Festival dei Popoli, while ABC Colombia was presented at numerous international festivals and received many awards, including the Spirit Award at Brooklyn’s International Film Festival. Since 2003, she has been teaching film directing at the Unviersity of Roehampton in London.
FILMOGRAFIA
41bis, Quai de la Loire (cm, doc., 1988), Sisters (cm, doc., 1989), The Restoration of the Leopard (cm, doc., 1991), Non è vero ma ci credo (cm, doc., 1992), Fine pena mai - Life After Life (doc., 1995), Mafia Women (cm, doc., 1997), Eureka Europa (cm, doc., 1999), The Solitude of Memory (cm, doc., 2000), Hidden Tuscany (mm, TV, doc., 2000-01), Chi non rischia non beve champagne (doc., 2001-02), Umberto Eco, Rennaissance Man (cm, doc., 2002), Scusi, dov’è il documentario? (cm, doc., 2003), ABC Colombia (doc., 2007), Home Sweet Home (doc., 2012).
Cast
& Credits
Regia, soggetto, sceneggiatura, fotografia: Enrica Colusso.
Sound: Maricetta Lombardo.
Music: Lamberto Coccioli.
Editor: Babak Karimi.
Production company and Italian distribution: Carlo Cresto-Dina per Fandango, via Ajaccio 20, 00198 Roma, Italia, tel. +39-06-85354026, fax +39-06-85353790, www.fandango.it, e-mail fandangodoc@tin.it; Rai Cinemafiction.
Sound: Maricetta Lombardo.
Music: Lamberto Coccioli.
Editor: Babak Karimi.
Production company and Italian distribution: Carlo Cresto-Dina per Fandango, via Ajaccio 20, 00198 Roma, Italia, tel. +39-06-85354026, fax +39-06-85353790, www.fandango.it, e-mail fandangodoc@tin.it; Rai Cinemafiction.