Kunashir
- Belarus Northern Lights New 2021 (Belarusian program)
- France FIFIG 2021 (Full-length competition program)
- Greece AegeanDocs International Film Festival 2021 (Competiton)Official selection
- France Fifigrot - Festival Groland à Toulouse 2021 Selected
- France International Documentary FF 2020 (Competition)
- Latvia Russia ArtDocFest IDFF 2020 (Competition)
- France Traces de Vies DFF 2020 Grand Prix
- France Jean Rouch FF 2020 (International Competition)
- USA Russian Independent DFF in New York 2020 Best Cinematography
- France La Rochelle IDFF 2020
- Poland Krakow IFF 2020 (International Competition)
Kunashir, one of the main islands of the Kuril Archipelago, situated 16 kilometres from Japan, was occupied by the Soviet army in 1945. A year later, after a short period of cohabitation, 17000 Japanese and Ainus who were living in the Kurils and in Sakhalin were deported to the island of Hokkaido. Since that time Japan has demanded the return of the Kuril Islands. A peace treaty between the two countries has not been signed to date.
In 1945, the Kuril Islands were annexed by the Soviet Union. Soon after, the Japanese who had lived there for generations, were expelled and their culture was erased from memory. Today, this devastated region needs new investments, but the current policy of the Russian state, which chooses to exploit military and patriotic sentiments, continues to increase the armament of the islands.
In the meantime, today’s residents of the isle of Kunashir continue to find traces of the Japanese past, discuss the socio-economic differences dividing the two nations and are longingly looking forward to a better future.
