For twelve years, war photographer Oleg Klimov documented the disintegration of the Soviet Union. He was present at almost all conflicts and ethnic tensions in the 90s. His photographs appeared on the front pages of many Western newspapers as silent witnesses of the war in the former Soviet Union. Oleg’s career as a photographer has also had a personal effect on him. After all those years, he unexpectedly faces a war trauma. Longing for inner peace Oleg returns to some of the areas where he has photographed during wartime: Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia and Chechnya. In addition to Oleg’s memories other realities arise: those of the people he then photographed.
Director
Masha Novikova
Masha Novikova (Moskou 1956) became known with journalistic documentaries as In the Holy Fire of Revolution (2008), about the battle Gary Kasparov fought for a new Russia; Anna, seven years in the frontline (2008), about journalist Anna Politkovskaya that was killed in 2006 (Amnesty Award Planet Doc Warshaw 2008; Special Mention Prize, 44a Mostra Internazionale del Nuovo Cinema Pesaro Italy; Special Juryprize, Festival of Liberties Brussels; Audience Award de Verzio 5 Doc Film Festival, Budapest) and
Three Comrades, about three Chechen friends of which two were killed during the Chechen wars (Special Mention Prize, Planete Doc Review, Poland; GRAND PRIZE of Ismailia International Festival for documentary and Short Films, Egypt; PRIZE for best investigation documentary DocLisboa; Special Mention Prize, MARFICI (International Independent Film festival of Mar del Plata, Argentinie); Premiere: Amnesty IFF 2007– best film and cinema release in Dutch Cinemas; SEGUNDO PREMIO TIEMPO DE HISTORIA, Vallidolid, Spanie – november 2006; One World Praag 2007– selected for screening-trip at 36 international Film Festivals such as Sundance and Locarno).
Sweet Smoke of the Fatherland was nominated for Best Dutch feature Documentary at the Dutch Film Festival 2012. For more information: Novdoc.
Credits
Written & directed by: Masha Novikova
Camera: Pavel Filippov, Masha Novikova
Sound: Anatoly Turikov, Varvara Belous
Editor: Michiel Hazebroek
Music & soundmix: Jeroen Goeijers
Executive producer: Judith Vreriks
Commissioning editor: Margje de Koning, IKON
Produced by: Frank van den Engel
A co-production with IKON TV
This production was supported by the Dutch Cultural Mediafund