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The Whirlpool 

2023 |1h 35min | Horror | Thriller | Mystery |  English | Producer Olga Loyanich | Director Den Hook

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The Whirlpool Trailer
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The feature-length elevated horror tells a story of a woman unable to stand up for herself and seeking help from shamans, ancient spirits, and occult rituals. The film follows the current trend for psychological horrors (“Reincarnation,” “Solstice,” “Babadook”) delving into the inner darkness that emerges inside an individual rather than from external threats such as the otherworld or the criminal underworld. Starring Lenkom theater actress Alyona Mitroshina (from "Blight" and "Sixteen+"), Vyacheslav Chepurchenko (from "Legend #17," "Bugs," and "Treason"), Wolfgang Cerny (from "T-34," "Red Ghost," and "Tell Her"), Catherine Solomatina (from "Unchildish Orphanage" and "The Golovlevs"), and Maxim Khanzhov (from "Silver Skates).

 

The narrative of the film is set against the backdrop of familiar myths and archetypes. Its rich visuals, drawing upon the imagery and texture of Russian folklore, create a frightening atmosphere for the personal story of a woman on the verge of insanity. The shooting took place in Veliky Novgorod, with the city’s nature and landmarks playing a pivotal role in establishing the film's dark, mystical atmosphere, the "Russian Gothic," as the creators put it. This atmosphere is comprised of the images created by Vasnetsov, Vrubel and contemporary artists, along with traditional Russian folk tunes and poems from the Silver Age. The scenery not only provides a bleak and thrilling backdrop, but also reinforces the film's central theme: our behavior is heavily influenced by the unconscious. This is echoed in the Nietzschean quote that serves as the film's slogan: "If you stare long enough into the abyss, the abyss stares back into you.”

"Omut" raises many issues relevant to contemporary society, including family violence and the commodification of spiritual practices which turned from a sacrament into a trendy entertainment that might carry risks and even dangers.

 

The film was released by the Nashe Kino company in major Russian cities and received strong support from prominent media outlets. It will later become available on Russian and foreign streaming platforms.

LIST OF FESTIVALS

VIFF - Vienna Independent Film Festival | Vienna | Austria

Grand Prix | Best Actor: Wolfgang Cerny 

 

SENSEI FILMFEST Tokyo | Japan

Best directing | Best cinematography | Best Art Direction & Makeup SFX |Best CGI & Visual Effects

 

Anatomy: Crime – Horror International Film Festival | Greece

Best directing | Best Picture | Best Sound Design | Best Actor Volfgang Cherny | Best Original Score | People’s Choice Best Picture

 

WORLDFILMGEEK Awards | USA

Best Foreign Film of 2023

 

Five Continents International Film Festival | Venezuela

Best Horror Featured Film

 

SFAAF South Film and Academy Festival | Chile

Special Awards Featured Film

 

Sacramento Independent Film Festival | Italy

Foreign Featured Best Film

 

Horror Film Festival Barcelona | Spain
Best Mystery

 

Costa Brava Film Festival | Spain

Best Edit

 

Manhattanhenge Film Festival 2023 | Los-Angeles — New York | USA

Best Thriller Film

Iconic Images Film Festival | Vilnius | Lithuania

Best Horror | Mystery | Thriller Film

Best Thriller Film

 

New York True Venture Film Festival | NYTFF | USA

Best Music Score — Andrey Kliminov


Symbiotic Film Festival | Kiev | Ukraine

Best Horror / Thriller Film

 

Golden Nugget International Film Festival | United Kingdom

Best Featured Film

 

European Cinematography Awards (ECA) | Amsterdam | Holland

Best Featured Film Cinematography — Hayk Kirakosyan

 

XI Fantastic and Terror Film Festival in Tàrrega - GALACTICAT | Spain

Best BSO — Andrey Kliminov

 

Los Angeles Cinematography Awards (LACA)  | USA

Best Featured Film Cinematography — Hayk Kirakosyan

 

Vancouver International Movie Awards | Canada

Best Cinematography in Featured Film— Hayk Kirakosyan

 

Stockholm City Film Festival | Sweden

Best Horror Film

Boden International Film Festival  | Sweden

Best Experimental Film, Best Horror

 

Europa Film Festival | Barcelona | Spain
Best Thriller Featured Film

Play CG VFX breakdown 1:35 

The Whirlpool Breakdown
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