Private Project

Zakura

Zakura is a 7-year-old bedouin girl. She is bright and open and she dreams of her own lamb. In a few years her father Arafat must marry her off. That's what traditions dictate.

  • Ivan Vdovin
    Director
  • Ivan Vdovin
    Writer
  • Petr Buslov
    Cinematographer
  • Nikolai Romankov
    Cinematographer
  • Mujuice
    Composer
  • Dmitri Korabelnikov
    Editor
  • Georgy Ermolenko
    Sound
  • Andrey Mesnyankin C.S.I.
    Colorist
  • Sergey Bobza
    Producer
  • Ivan Vdovin
    Producer
  • Michael J.P. Laurent
    Co-Producer
  • Evgeny Subochev
    Co-Producer
  • Thikra Kaabne
    Key Cast
    "Zakura"
  • Arafat Kaabne
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 11 minutes 32 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 10, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    80,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Russian Federation
  • Country of Filming:
    Israel, Palestine, State of
  • Language:
    Arabic, English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Distribution Information
  • Pioner film group
    Distributor
    Country: Russian Federation
    Rights: Theatrical
Director Biography - Ivan Vdovin

Ivan Vdovin was born into an artistic family. Having received a degree in filmmaking, he has worked in creative process management for 10 years, but always wanted to tell his own full length stories. Finally, he found a perfectly true story that changed his life forever.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Four years ago as a producer I was engaged in the process of film shooting in Israel and Palestine Authority. It was at that moment that I met with Arafat and his Bedouin family. Arafat proposed that I should marry his daughter – just two weeks after we had met – he said, it was the only chance for her to move away and get herself a decent future. And I thought to myself that I can’t just take her and bring illegally to Moscow, instead I should tell her story, make this film and give Arafat and his daughter an opportunity – an opportunity to choose.

To express my feelings I’ll use a metaphor. Arafat is a train driver that follows the usual route. Zakura is his little girl who walks along the railroad tracks. Arafat knows that his daughter uses this way. But he can’t stop the train.

‘Zakura’ is my vision of a dramatic story about father and daughter who live in the modern world but are forced to act by ancient and horrifying laws of bedouin people. Their society still follows the traditions having full access to modern technologies and civilization.

My heroes are absolutely real people who experience emotions, love, fear and sometimes don’t understand at all - which choice is right. I know these people for few years and I love them. But in my film I choose an observing method. I don’t lead Zakura and Arafat to one choose destination. I follow their life during a long period of time and reveal drama naturally.