In search of her childhood memories associated with the violent times of Russia's war in Chechnya, Vladlena returns to Grozny. Furtively, she films the portraits of contemporary Russian and Chechnyan dictators that adorn every facade in town. Combined with propaganda material from the archives and her own commentary, Vladlena Sandu creates a hyper-realistic grotesque that captivates the viewer, both through its absurdity and its hideousness.

- The main RheinMain Short Film Award 2023 went to NO NATION WITHOUT CULTURE
According to the jury: “With clear and precise images, the director brings impressive observations from a nearly forgotten city out into the world – rendering the destruction of a culture’s soul visible. A timely scream from a society that has been silenced.”

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