Preview: documentary film Eight explores relationships in modern Russia

The Calvert Journal is delighted to present an exclusive preview of Eight, a documentary film centring on the specificities of dating and relationships in St Petersburg.

A project by Finnish director Marko Vuorinen, Eight takes its name from the eight young women who share their intimate thoughts on love and relationships in the city.

“Eight focuses on the joys and sorrows of love but also pays a beautiful homage to the metropolis of lights and shadows. St Petersburg is full of contrasts. The historic city is like a museum and, at the same time, alive and changing, 24 hours a day,” says the director.

A rich soundtrack featuring a host of Russian indie artists, including black metal band Show Me A Dinosaur and trance artist Lamax, underscores what Vuorinen describes as “the unbearable lightness of being in love in contemporary St Petersburg”.

Eight premiered at the Russian Film Festival in Helsinki on Saturday 18 February. Find out more about the project here.