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In the Footsteps of Alexander Nevsky

The documentary is in Sign Language with subtitles in English language and voiced by deaf and hard of hearing people. Our film is not about deaf people. Our film is for all.

Two people speak Sign Language in a rural library. Kolya, who is hard of hearing, and Tanya, who is deaf. They are professional guides and invite viewers on a unique journey. The camera pulls back and the audience sees the entire film crew. The journey begins...

The film crew does not hide behind the scenes. The group finishes filming the scene, gets on a bus or a plane and goes to the next filming location in Italy, in Russia, in Mongolia.

This documentary in Russian Sign Language looks at the Russian Prince Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1220 - 1263), famous for his campaigns, travels through the Mongol Empire and correspondence with the Pope. Tracing the hagiographic story of Alexander’s life, the film attempts to recreate an amazing picture of the world between East Asia and the Mediterranean in the time of Alexander. It also focuses on Giovanni da Pian del Carpini, a Franciscan monk, missionary and the first European traveller to Mongolia.

The film features a selection of unique items, such as a paiza of Uzbek Khan of the Golden Horde (mid-14th c.), the sword of Prince Daumantas of Pskov (late 13th c.), the manuscript of The Vita of St Alexander Nevsky (late 13th c.), on display in Russian museums; two letters from Pope Innocent IV to Prince Alexander (1248), a letter from Great Khan Guyuk to Pope Innocent IV (1246) at the Apostolic Archive of the Vatican and and an old copy of Carpini’s History of the Mongols (14th c.) from Biblioteca e Centro di Documentazione Francescana in Assisi.

  • Anna Turchaninova
    Director
    The Forbidden Language of the Future, The Adventures of Ekoneshka, Simple Rules, New Year's Detective
  • Anna Turchaninova
    Writer
  • Sergey Krechetov
    Writer
  • Mikhail Agafonov
    Director of photography
    The Forbidden Language of the Future
  • Sergey Krechetov
    Producer
    The Forbidden Language of the Future
  • Tatyana Trofimova
    Key Cast
  • Nikolay Efutin
    Key Cast
  • Iliya Davydov
    Camera operator
    The Forbidden Language of the Future
  • Mikhail Zvezdovsky
    Boom operator
    The Forbidden Language of the Future
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    "По следам Александра Невского"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental
  • Runtime:
    2 hours 12 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    March 28, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    120,481 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Russian Federation
  • Country of Filming:
    Holy See (Vatican City State), Italy, Mongolia, Russian Federation
  • Language:
    Russian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Saint Petersburg Documentary Films Studio of Lendoc
    Saint Petersburg
    Russian Federation
    March 28, 2023
    Russian Federation premiere
  • International Orthodox Film Festival Golden Knight
    Grozny
    Russian Federation
    May 28, 2023
    Official Selection: Documentary Feature
  • HIFF - HALO International Film Festival
    Saint-Petersbourg
    Russian Federation
    August 20, 2023
    Award Winner: Best Documentary
  • "VOTKINSK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL" RU
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    September 19, 2023
    Award Winner: Documentary Film
  • Vindhya International Film Festival Madhya Pradesh
    Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh
    India
    January 5, 2024
    Award Winner: Feature Documentary International - SPECIAL JURY FOR FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
  • TRAVEL FILM International Film Festival
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    February 24, 2024
    Award Winner
  • Castiellë Soulplace Film Festival
    Castelpetroso
    Italy
    February 15, 2024
    Italy Premiere
    Official Selection: Best Documentary
  • Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions by Lift-Off Global Network
    Lift-Off Global Network
    United Kingdom
    March 11, 2024
    Official Selection: Feature Film Content Zero - $5000 Budget
  • European Cinema Film Festival
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    March 31, 2024
    Nominee: Best Documentary
  • Rome Prisma Film Awards
    Rome
    Italy
    April 5, 2024
    Official Selection: Best Feature Doc 𝗜𝗠𝗗𝗯-𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴
  • Mannheim Arts and Film Festival
    Mannheim
    Germany
    April 12, 2025
    Award Winner: Best Travel and Discovery, Feature
  • Your Way International Film Festival
    Valletta
    Malta
    July 7, 2024
    Award Winner: Best Historical Film
  • 2024 ARFF Paris // International Awards
    Paris
    France
    June 20, 2024
    Semi-Finalist: Best Documentary
  • Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    June 1, 2024
    Official Selection: Feature Documentary Content
  • HISTORY International Film Festival Austria
    Asparn an der Zaya
    Austria
    July 9, 2024
    Official Selection: Timeframe 2 “Migration Period – Middle Ages”
  • Roma Spiritual Film Fest
    Rome
    Italy
    June 14, 2024
    Official Selection: Best Documentary Films
  • Dubai Film Festival
    Dubai
    United Arab Emirates
    June 25, 2024
    Nominee: Best Screenplay
  • Dubai Film Festival
    Dubai
    United Arab Emirates
    June 25, 2024
    Official Selection: Revelation Award
  • Dubai Film Festival
    Dubai
    United Arab Emirates
    June 25, 2024
    Official Selection: Best Feature Film Documentary
  • International Motion Picture Awards
    Brooklin
    Canada
    June 15, 2024
    Award Winner: Special jury award consideration
  • Sofia World Film Festival
    Sofia
    Bulgaria
    June 22, 2024
    Official Selection: Best Feature Documentary Film
  • New York Lift-Off Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    July 1, 2024
    Official Selection: Feature Documentary Film
  • Cinema Carnival
    Pisa
    Italy
    March 15, 2025
    Official Selection: Best Inspirational Film (Additional Category)
  • International Burabay Short Film Festival
    Shchuchinsk
    Kazakhstan
    September 15, 2024
    Finalist: Best Documentary Film
  • The World Through Silence / International Sign Language Film Festival
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    September 21, 2024
    Award Winner: Best Cinematography
  • The World Through Silence / International Sign Language Film Festival
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    September 21, 2024
    Award Winner: Best Screenplay
  • European Cinematography AWARDS (ECA)
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    February 28, 2025
    Award Winner: BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM CINEMATOGRAPHY
  • Florence International Film Festival
    Florence
    Italy
    December 12, 2024
    Official Selection: Feature Documentary
  • Echo BRICS Film Festival (Echo BRICS FF)
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    November 5, 2024
    Award Winner: Prize “For Humanism in Cinematography”
  • Madrid Film Awards (MADFA)
    Madrid
    Spain
    November 30, 2024
    Award Winner: Best Screenplay
  • Madrid Film Awards (MADFA)
    Madrid
    Spain
    November 30, 2024
    Official Selection: Best Cinematography
  • Madrid Film Awards (MADFA)
    Madrid
    Spain
    November 30, 2024
    Official Selection: Best Director
  • Liberty Films Festival
    Athens
    Greece
    November 1, 2024
    Award Winner: Best Historical Film
  • China International Conference of Science and Education Producers
    Beijing
    China
    November 20, 2024
    Official Selection: Science Documentaries (30 mins and above)
  • Festival de Cine Antigua
    Antigua Guatemala
    Guatemala
    December 5, 2024
    Award Winner: Honorable Mention
  • Wallachia Int'l Film Festival
    Bucharest
    Romania
    December 6, 2024
    Official Selection: Official Competition
  • Deluxe Film Festival
    Rome
    Italy
    December 29, 2024
    Official Selection: Documentary Films
  • Black Owl Film Festival
    Bodrum
    Turkey
    January 31, 2025
    Official Selection: Best Feature Documentary
  • Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival
    Athens
    Greece
    January 25, 2025
    Honorable Mention: BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
Distribution Information
  • Kinopoisk
    Distributor
    Country: Russian Federation
    Rights: Internet, Video on Demand, Free TV
  • Premier
    Distributor
    Country: Russian Federation
    Rights: Internet, Video on Demand, Free TV
  • Okko
    Distributor
    Country: Russian Federation
    Rights: Internet, Video on Demand, Free TV
  • SAPSAN high-speed train
    Distributor
    Country: Russian Federation
    Rights: Free TV
  • SMARTAVIA
    Distributor
    Country: Russian Federation
    Rights: Airline
  • AEROFLOT
    Distributor
    Country: Russian Federation
    Rights: Airline
  • LASTOCHKA high-speed train
    Distributor
    Country: Russian Federation
    Rights: Free TV
  • NORDSTAR
    Distributor
    Country: Russian Federation
    Rights: Airline
Director Biography - Anna Turchaninova

Director, screenwriter. Graduated from VGIK (scenario faculty). Worked on TV as head of the promo department, program writer. She conducted her own author's contest for children. She shot puppet video performances for the deaf.

Director of the documentaries "The Forbidden Language of the Future" and the first Russian travel film in Russian Sign Language "In the Footsteps of Alexander Nevsky" (the author of the script together with Sergey Krechetov) with "Languages without Borders NGO" production.

Filmography:
"In the Footsteps of Alexander Nevsky" (2023)
"The Forbidden Language of the Future" (2022)
"The Adventures of Ekoneshka" (2020)
"Simple Rules" (2020)
"New Year's Detective" (2019)

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