Stitches of Freedom
In the Western world, the late 1960s is an era of open minds, sexual freedom, anti-war sentiments, civil rights urgency and exploding creative spirit. Pockets of freedom emerge behind the Iron Curtain, too. In 1968, the short-lived Prague Spring brings a gulp of fresh air to Czechoslovakia, with people attempting to exert control over their lives and reform the Communist system. In the Soviet Union, the free-spirited and colourfully-clad flower children from various Soviet republics come to Riga to listen to Western music and escape the drabness imposed by the regime led by morose men in ill-fitting suits.
Inna, a young transgender person in Soviet Russia, can no longer suppress the inner imperative to free themselves from the foreign body in which they feel imprisoned, and on their quest for freedom, they set off for Riga. A famous and ambitious Latvian surgeon with extensive connections within the Soviet elite, after reading Inna's desperate letter addressed to him, takes on the unprecedented series of operations to change their gender and help "correct nature’s mistake," thereby creating Innokenty in place of Inna.
The film, using unique archive footage and creative reenactments, follows the stages of Inna's transformation – their journey to Riga, the surgeon's doubts and his sources of inspiration, the sexually-charged “tests” of Inna’s femininity, preparation for the series of operations, and the operations unfolding.
The film's narrator is Innokenty, who has since reached old age and, feeling the end of their life approaching, turns to their "creator" in another letter, seeking support in the final transformations of their life. They find themselves back where they started – a regime that does not recognize an individual’s freedom to be themselves. The bond between Innokenty and the surgeon has a lasting pull, hence the need for a final letter. This bond has survived changes in government, family and society, and, ultimately, the surgeon’s death.
Inna, a young transgender person in Soviet Russia, can no longer suppress the inner imperative to free themselves from the foreign body in which they feel imprisoned, and on their quest for freedom, they set off for Riga. A famous and ambitious Latvian surgeon with extensive connections within the Soviet elite, after reading Inna's desperate letter addressed to him, takes on the unprecedented series of operations to change their gender and help "correct nature’s mistake," thereby creating Innokenty in place of Inna.
The film, using unique archive footage and creative reenactments, follows the stages of Inna's transformation – their journey to Riga, the surgeon's doubts and his sources of inspiration, the sexually-charged “tests” of Inna’s femininity, preparation for the series of operations, and the operations unfolding.
The film's narrator is Innokenty, who has since reached old age and, feeling the end of their life approaching, turns to their "creator" in another letter, seeking support in the final transformations of their life. They find themselves back where they started – a regime that does not recognize an individual’s freedom to be themselves. The bond between Innokenty and the surgeon has a lasting pull, hence the need for a final letter. This bond has survived changes in government, family and society, and, ultimately, the surgeon’s death.
Total Mess
In today’s Ukraine, a vast informal economy shapes the lives of many young people. Fast money, informal services, and scam call centres targeting Russians offer high incomes and temporary relief in a world defined by instability.
Dasha, 21, is a single mother whose husband, a Ukrainian soldier, is missing in action. She moves between unstable housing, childcare, drug use, and the pursuit of quick income. She previously worked in a call centre and, despite stepping away to care for her child, remains drawn to the temporary stability it offered.
Sonya, 22, moves fluidly within the same world. Connected to people in scam offices, she has built an online persona shaped by visibility and money. She promotes call centre work through her provocative blog while negotiating boundaries and pressure.
The film observes a recurring ritual of the phone call between swindler and victim, revealing how staged empathy and psychological pressure become routine. An “invisible” collective voice of the office emerges, showing the pressure shaping callers as much as victims.
TOTAL MESS follows these two women while seeking a third perspective: a young man currently working inside a call centre, offering a view from within the system. The film explores why people enter this world: risk, adrenaline or short-term survival, and how life in these structures reshapes everyone involved.
Dasha, 21, is a single mother whose husband, a Ukrainian soldier, is missing in action. She moves between unstable housing, childcare, drug use, and the pursuit of quick income. She previously worked in a call centre and, despite stepping away to care for her child, remains drawn to the temporary stability it offered.
Sonya, 22, moves fluidly within the same world. Connected to people in scam offices, she has built an online persona shaped by visibility and money. She promotes call centre work through her provocative blog while negotiating boundaries and pressure.
The film observes a recurring ritual of the phone call between swindler and victim, revealing how staged empathy and psychological pressure become routine. An “invisible” collective voice of the office emerges, showing the pressure shaping callers as much as victims.
TOTAL MESS follows these two women while seeking a third perspective: a young man currently working inside a call centre, offering a view from within the system. The film explores why people enter this world: risk, adrenaline or short-term survival, and how life in these structures reshapes everyone involved.