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Original Film Title: Heaven+Diary
Director’s Name: Masha Shalagina
Writer’s Name: Masha Shalagina
Producer: Masha Shalagina
Country of Origin: Finland
Country of Filming: Russian Federation
Language: Russian
Runtime: 21 minutes 5 seconds
Film Description:
Born out of the isolation of COVID-19 lockdowns, “Heaven” began as a prayer and a song. The lyrics of “Heaven” speak to God, expressing feelings of entrapment within one’s mind and environment.
“Heaven” quickly evolved into a music video, created in collaboration with Natalya Tarasova, Masha Shalagina, and Daniel Gorsky. Filming was set to begin in St. Petersburg, Russia, in February 2022. On the first day of filming, Russia invaded Ukraine, and the song instantly acquired a different meaning. The director, Maria Shalagina, an outspoken defender of freedom of speech and political freedom, immediately changed the music video’s course. She expanded its scope to include a diary section documenting the circumstances surrounding its creation.
The film was edited throughout the first year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and was released in its final form in 2023.
“Heaven” began as a prayer and concludes as a prayer for freedom and peace, both internally and externally, individually and collectively.