ZOOLOGY

Zoologiya

Directed by Ivan I. Tverdovsky
Russia, France, Germany | 2016 | 87 min | drama | Russian

Middle-aged zoo worker Natasha still lives with her mother in a small coastal town. As she struggles for independence, she has to endure the absurd reality of her life filled with gossip spread by the women around her. She is stuck and it seems that life has no surprises for her until one day… she grows a tail. Embarrassed at first, Natasha decides to go further with the transformation and use it as an opportunity to redefine herself as a person and as a woman. With the new “accessory” she gets access to the life that she has never experienced before – she starts a relationship with a man, who finds her attractive, she goes out and allows herself to be foolish for the first time in her life. But her second puberty eventually comes to an end and Natasha has to make a choice between reality and illusion.

Cast & Crew

Director: Ivan I. Tverdovsky
Screenplay: Ivan I. Tverdovsky
Cinematography: Alexander Mikeladze
Editing: Ivan I. Tverdovsky, Vincent Assman
Cast: Natalia Pavlenkova (Natasha), Dmitry Groshev (Peter), Irina Chipizhenko (Mother)
Producers: Natalia Mokritskaya (New People Film Company), Mila Rozanova (New People Film Company), Uliana Savelieva (New People Film Company), Guillame de Seille (Arizona Productions), Esther Friedrich (MovieBrats Pictures),
Alex Weimer (MovieBrats Pictures), Maria Lavnikovich

Ivan I. Tverdovsky
Russia

Festivals & Awards
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – Secial Jury Prize
San Sebatian International Film Festival
Bergen International Film Festival
Zurich Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival
BFI London
Chicago Film Festival
Haifa International Film Festival
Canberra International Film Festival
CPH PIX
Tirana International Film Festival
Thessaloniki International Film Festival
Cork Film Festival
Kerala International Film Festival
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Goteborg International Film Festival
Beijing International Film Festival
Transilvania International Film Festival
Batumi International Art House Film Festival – Grand Prix, Best Actress
Cottbus – Best Film, Outstanding Actress
Les Arcs European Film Festival – 20 Minutes of Audacity Prize, Young Jury Prize – Special Mention
Sochi Open Russian Film Festival – Best Actress, Prize of the Guild of Russian Film Scholars and Film Critics