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Gulag Vorkuta

Love between two GULAG dissidents Anastasia and Alexander grows and drives them escape towards freedom. In the greatest genocide in History, the Marxist USSR genocide of 50 million people from 1917-1991, artists, writers, Christians, journalists, dissidents, workers, were exterminated because they believed in freedom of speech and freedom of thought. Dialogue lines include: "Political Correctness leads to genocide", and "The truth is a hate crime against Marxism". Their friends try to help gather supplies for their escape, and several pay the price of friendship in their executions. USSR Gulag death camp. Anastasia must face the horrific consequences of her escape. She must answer the eternal question on the meaning of sacrifice: Does she sacrifice her friends, who will certainly be killed if she escapes, or does she sacrifice her people if word of the Gulag does not make it out? From the greatest depths of human suffering to the greatest heights of human love and kindness, we follow the heroic story of love against the gulag. Of what great love and courage they are capable of, and that the greatest love of all is not only for each other, but for their people.

  • Michael Kingsbury
    Director
    Gulag Barashevo (2015)
  • Michael Kingsbury
    Writer
    Gulag Barashevo (2015)
  • Michael Kingsbury
    Producer
  • Lana Gulevich, Andrey Vasilyev
    Key Cast
    Gulag Barashevo (2015)
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama, Historical, Romance, Gulag, Dissident
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 38 minutes 20 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 5, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    2,400 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Celtic-Films
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Michael Kingsbury

Michael Kingsbury comes from a background as an award winning fine artist. A painter, draughtsman, photographer and sculptor. He started film in 1994 and after several shorts in 16mm, directed a 16mm feature film in 1998. Transitioning into digital he continued to shoot short digital films, R-Files, Gulag Barashevo (short), Gulag Vorkuta (short), then back into features with Gulag Barashevo (2015) (feature) and Gulag Vorkuta (2016) (feature). As a fine artist and photographer, who photographed the last days of the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe, Michael has always been drawn to emotional social commentary subjects. His films have covered childhood sexual abuse, underground resistance, environmental activism, and the human rights violations of the Marxist USSR Gulag.

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Director Statement

Gulag Vorkuta (2016) is a film about the power of love being able to set people free from the most horrendous human rights violations in history, that of the Marxist USSR Gulag where an estimated 50 million people, from workers to dissidents, were systematically exterminated in History's largest genocide.

To me this subject matter, this Gulag genre, is the most powerful emotional stage that we have to work with as artists. The pain of the depths and the joy of the highs are never greater than in this genre where so many souls struggled to survive and be Human.

- Michael Kingsbury