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Filmotor has secured international distribution rights for “Letters From the Silenced Country,” a documentary set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Directed by Belarusian filmmaker Andrei Kutsila, the partly animated work will screen in the Venice Open section and examines the experiences of individuals facing oppression in Belarus through personal correspondence and artistic innovation.
The film draws its narrative from the aftermath of Belarus’s 2020 protests, which resulted in a violent government response that killed, injured, and imprisoned many citizens while forcing others into exile. Following the Ukraine invasion, the regime intensified its suppression of dissent, leaving letters as one of the few channels through which political prisoners could maintain contact with the outside world. The documentary features interconnected stories, including accounts of a father in hiding, an exile facing repeated interrogation, a young protester using art as survival, and a man learning about home through photographs from friends.
Kutsila, who fled Belarus after the 2020 demonstrations and now resides in Poland, has previously earned recognition for his documentary work at festivals including IDFA and Warsaw Film Festival. The production brings together collaborators from Poland, Lithuania, and Germany, with support from various film institutions. According to Filmotor’s founder, Kutsila’s innovative combination of animation, archival material, and personal letters creates “an essential, unforgettable portrait of human dignity against autocratic repression.”
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Originally reported by Variety →
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