Silent Souls

Guardian“A shimmer of unreality; perhaps it is magic unrealism...” Fedorchenko may not exactly be on oath with all of these Meryan traditions of his, but they create an utterly distinctive world, and the close harmony provided by a choir in one scene really is arresting...

The Telegraph“Mesmerisingly opaque...” Aleksei Fedorchenko’s crisp, beautiful film ponders the oddness and necessity of the folk rites in which we all seek solace...

Time Out“It’s fascinating for about 45 mins...” A schizophrenic slice of Tarkovsky-lite that was one of the most talked-about titles at the 2010 Venice Film Festival...

The Independent“A way of life fading out...” If W G Sebald had directed a road movie, it might have looked like Silent Souls. Ostensibly the story of a trip, it's also a poetic meditation on love, death and the disappearance of a culture...

Empire“A beautiful piece of work...” A poetic and deeply moving study of love, loss and the enduring relevance of suppressed custom, evoking the feel of an eerie Russian folk tale. Heart-wrending, atmospheric and truly poignant. Recommended…

Little White Lies“In many ways this is an elegant and simple film...” While the term ‘cine poem’ is thrown around with wild abandon, it seems particularly apropos for Silent Souls, a film that manages to be skillfully subtle yet immensely affecting...

Total Film “Maintains focus with admirable purity...” A poetic elegy to a lost tribe that conjures up the Meryans’ secret lifestyle via surreal rituals and stunning widescreen visuals, although an over-explained voiceover and clunky symbolism sometimes weaken the spell...