Mashenka

It is about equality that cannot be imposed, but can be experienced. In this film, reality rewrites the script. What was intended as a documentary about volunteers helping the homeless suddenly transforms into a chronicle of an impossible love affair. The film producer falls in love with the protagonist – a homeless man named Edik. The camera captures not only the social drama but an inner revolution which comes at a price. The struggle with addiction, rejection, the lure of the streets, and the fear of being authentic. Yet, against all odds, in this struggle we discern a radical act of recognizing humanity in someone who is usually overlooked. This isn't a film about the homeless and volunteers. It is a film about boundaries that dissolve when we finally begin to see human beings in one another.