Russia 2023, 50 min, Russian, English subtitles
The mudbaths of the Stavropol region, in the Caucasus, were a household name back in the Soviet era, and even today, the spa is a popular destination for those in need of some warm natural antibiotics. Armed with doctors’ prescriptions, men and women of all ages from all over the country fill the baths and beds or inhale the fumes rising from the black life-giving slush. Governed by strict rules and layers of bureaucracy, the spa resembles an old-timey sanatorium with an early-20th-century vibe—a place out of time. Except the sounds of the war in Ukraine and the Russian propaganda emanating from the radio in the basement are a reminder of what everyone is trying to repress. In soft focus and silvery tones, MUD poetically conveys the paradox of people going about their day mere kilometers from a parallel reality.
Previous Festivals: IDFA
Depth of Field Competition The Cinematic Edge