Heathens

The dramatic story plot, set in Odessa, Ukraine, is based on the play of the same name by Anna Yablonskaya, who tragically died in a terrorist attack at Moscow's Domodedovo airport in 2011. A grandmother, the father's mother, unexpectedly arrives in the family, which is fully occupied with renovating the apartment and ordinary worries. She has spent part of her life in monasteries, and her strong religious beliefs are the catalyst for the family's broken bonds. The teenage daughter, wanting to live life on her own terms, drops out of school and dramatically resists any attempts at rescue. Seeming "miracles" bring a new existential lens to a complex situation and raise questions about the meaning of faith and life itself. (Art Film Fest)