THE WHITE SHIP

It is interesting that there are several Soviet films and stories with this title, and in them the white ship is a colonial symbol. On it, the Russians sail to godforsaken lands to "save" the natives and take them to a newland — to a new life. In this film, the white ship is an inverted symbol. It expresses the subjective history of every person, regardless of their origin. It is one’s right to their own history and experience.

I am very glad that the cinematographer Veronika Solovyova worked with me on this film,  who was also born and grew up in Yakutia, like me. I believe that together we were able to create an organic and subtle story that allows you to dive as deeply as possible into the heart of the Yakut land and its people. We were equally lucky to work with Vlada Milovskaya, she is a specialist in coaching actors. Thanks to her unique technique, it was possible to work with non-professional actors, real teachers, ordinary children, minimizing their stress and immersing ourselves into their world for real.

The title of the film refers us to a popular Soviet hit from the 70s. For the main character, Marta, this song becomes a symbol of her past. She endows a simple composition with mystical meaning. The White Ship is a song of the past, an iceberg. In fact, this song is a symbol of the Yakut people, and not at all the “authentic” compositions that the director brings to her in return.

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The news of Inga Shepeleva's victory at the All Russian Debutante Pitching Competition in Yakutia, followed by the project receiving the support of the Russian Ministry of Culture made headlines in key professional publications, and garnered interest among Russia’s entire cinematic community. The key to a  successful realisation of the project lies in  our collaboration with Yakut filmmakers and the local industry of the Republic of Sakha. Our partners in Yakutia are Stepan Burnashev (Saidam Baryl) and Dmitry Davydov. Filming took place in May 2022 and January 2023.

Now, more than ever, the Russian audience needs to be reminded that our multinational country has always been rich in  complex history and various cultures that inhabited this land, since the collapse of the USSR, have been trying not to lose their identity and get along with each other in a new reality. We all need sensitivity, mutual understanding, respect. The process within our team was built on the basis of  full trust and an acknowledgment of the importance of every participant, without any of whom the project would simply not have taken place. Furthermore, we hope that our film will once again secure the title of  main cinematographic hub in Russia for Yakutia.

We have already received confirmation of interest in the project from KARO.Art distribution and aim to implement the project at the highest level, as a result of which the film will be able to get a wide release and claim financial success. Currently, we are organizing our co-production and looking for in kind contributions from colleagues in Asia and Europe.