Before you see this film...
...don't do any background research! Really, if you just walk into this film and have no idea of the background (or very little), I think you'll get a lot more out of it.
I saw this film at the Toronto International Film Festival without even knowing what it was about (I saw it solely because of the director's name), and it left me wordless. I usually mentally "write" a review of a film as I'm seeing it, but here I really felt like there was nothing left to be said. I'm still loathe to talk about it at all, because I really think that it speaks for itself.
It's a stunningly effective film where nothing is verbally explained, but everything is very straightforward (no symbolism or suggestive editing here!). However, it was clear from the comments I heard afterward that it passed right over the heads of some people in the audience. My guess is that they had preconceived notions when they came in, and therefore saw it through murky goggles.
So please, when you see it (and it is worth seeing!), don't do ANY background research and just pay close attention to what you're seeing on the screen instead.
Because this is not a political film. It is set in Chechnya, but it is not ABOUT Chechnya; it could be set anywhere, at any time. Reading about the background will only cloud your vision in this case, and prevent you from seeing what is right before your eyes.
The director himself said as much:
"For me this story is not about the actual but about the eternal. Not about present-day Russia, its policies in the Caucasus, its army, but about the eternal life of Russia. War is always a terrible thing. In this film about war there is no war. (...) Our film is a work of fiction, not a political act. In the film, we are looking for ways to bring people together, and we find them."
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My blog about Russian animation: http://niffiwan.livejournal.com/