The death of Viktor Tsoi and the world’s best woman freediver: films not to miss at the online Russian Film Week

The UK’s Russian Film Week is going digital this year screening feature films, documentaries, and shorts.

Founded in 2016, the festival will run between 6-13 December, with all films available to watch in the UK and some available across Europe.

A festival highlight is feature film Tsoi, which explores how the life of the bus driver involved in the crash that killed the 28-year-old Soviet rockstar Viktor Tsoi changed after the accident. Followed and abused by aggressive and angry fans, the man gets screamed at in one concert: “You’re just a common driver but do you know how he sang?” Directed by Aleksey Uchitel, the film provides a fascinating and unseen perspective on a key event in underground Soviet cultural history.

One Breath is another film to keep your eyes on. Based on real events, Elena Hazanova’s feature tells the story of a 40-year-old divorced woman who’s rekindling her passion for freediving — one of the most extreme sports out there, involving diving as deep as possible in just one breath. Dependent on mind control, the sport invites the protagonist to address her underlying fears, regain her sense of peace, and ultimately reinvent her life.

Find out more here.