Dear Beautiful Beloved
AT 2024, 95 min, Juri Rechinsky
"For the first time in my life I have such a journey." explains an old woman. Together with those who are ill or alone, who can no longer walk or see, she sits on a train that is supposed to take her out of the war and to safety. "As long as this is not your last journey. That's all that matters," she's told.
Even beyond the front line, Russian war pervades Ukraine, reshaping the daily lives of the population through its violent omnipresence. As a response to these challenges, new structures of care are emerging within society: the elderly, single and immobile people are evacuated; improvised shelters and infirmaries are set up; escape routes are collectively organized; corpses are recovered, so that they can be identified and delivered to their relatives. Amidst all the efforts, moments of despair arise: Who will be left behind? Which families will be torn apart? When will it all end? How can we ever recover?
As a contemporary document, DEAR BEAUTIFUL BELOVED looks at survival strategies when the state of emergency has become routine. In doing so, it creates visibility for the moments of solicitude, systems of care-work and the continuous attempts to protect lives and return dignity to the people from whom it was violently taken. Unvarnished and unforgiving, but honest and hopeful, DEAR BEAUTIFUL BELOVED documents this tireless work, which must never become a normality.
Festivals
Locarno 2024, CH | Viennale 2024, AT | Duisburger Filmwoche 2024, DE | Human Rights FF 2024, DE | IDFA 2024, NL | Molodist 2024, UA | PÖFF 2024, EE | Camera Image 2024, PL | Budapest IFF 2025, HU | IDFF Artdoc Riga 2025, LV I Bergamo FF 2025, IT I Sofia Int. FF 2025, BG I Dianonale 2025, AT I Dokumentarfilmwoche Hamburg 2025, DE I DokKa 2025, DE
Awards
Audience Award - Duisburger Filmwoche 2024, DE | Best Documentary Award - Budapest IFF 2025, HU | Premio della Giuria - Bergamo IFF 2025, IT | Best Documentary Award - Sofia Int. FF 2025, BG | Best Sound Design, Best Cinematography Dianonale 2025 AT
Nominated for the Austrian Filmawards: "Best documentary", "Best Montage", "Best Sounddesign"
Pictures
