Life of Ivanna / Zhizn Ivanny
It’s early morning in the middle of the Antarctic tundra and Ivanna sits in her hut and lights a cigarette, while the icy wind howls around her. The 26-year-old shares her mobile home – which can be pulled by reindeer when needed – with her five children. Left entirely to her own devices, she faces a daily battle to ensure the survival of her family. But Ivanna is soon forced to live with her husband in the city. Does a better life await her there? Over the course of four years, director Renato Borrayo Serrano captured the fascinating and harsh reality of a tough tundra nomad – a woman who faces life with an iron gaze, never loses her sense of humour and silently longs for security and freedom.
About the director(s)
Renato Borrayo Serrano was born in Guatemala and has lived since 2012 in Russia. He graduated with a degree in documentary film directing in Moscow in 2017. His works have screened at numerous international festivals. In addition to others, his short film FILM FOR CARLOS won the Jury Award at DOK Leipzig and the Best Short Film Award at DocuDays in Kiev. LIFE OF IVANNA premiered at this year’s CPH:DOX, where it won the Dox:Award.
Filmography (selection): Life of Ivanna (doc, 2021) | Film for Carlos (short, doc, 2017) | Another Country (short, doc, 2014)
- Genre: DOC: Social & Human Interest
- Country, Year: Russia, Norway, Finland, Estonia, 2021
- Runtime: 80 Min
- Languages: Russian, Nenets
- Subtitles: English, German
- Director: Renato Borrayo Serrano
- Screenplay: Renato Borrayo Serrano, Daria Sidorova
- Cinematography: Renato Borrayo Serrano, Daria Sidorova
- Editors: Renato Borrayo Serrano, Inge-Lise Langfeldt
- Music: Timo Steiner
- Producers: Vladislav Ketkovich, Mette Cheng Munthe-Kaas, Pertti Vijalainen, Marianna Kaat
- Production Companies: Ethnofund Film, Ten Thousand Images, Illume OY, Baltic Film Production
- World Sales: Cat & Docs
