The Whirlpool (2022 film)

Omut (released in English territories as The Whirlpool)[1] (Russian: Омут, romanizedOmut, lit.'Still Waters') is a 2022 Russian mystical horror film directed by Denis Kryuchkov. It stars Alyona Mitroshina (who makes her film debut), Wolfgang Cerny and Vyacheslav Chepurchenko.[2]

The Whirlpool
Directed byDenis Kryuchkov
Written by
  • Olga Loyanich
Produced by
  • Alexander Kalushkin
  • Olga Loyanich
Starring
  • Alyona Mitroshina
  • Wolfgang Cerny
  • Vyacheslav Chepurchenko
  • Viktoria Skitskaya
  • Ekaterina Solomatina
  • Sofya Ozerova
CinematographyHayk Kirakosyan
Edited bySerik Beyseu
Music byAndrey Kliminov, Hermes Zygott
Production
company
  • Radragon
Distributed byNashe Kino
Release date
  • December 1, 2022 (2022-12-01) (Russia)
Running time
99 minutes
CountryRussia
LanguageRussian

The film was theatrically released in Russia on 1 December 2022.[2] It was produced without government funding.[3] The screenplay was written by Olga Loyanich and was partially based on her real-life experiences with occult practices.[3]

Plot

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The film centers around Lyuba, a married woman trapped in a cycle of violence and abuse. Seeking escape from her torment, she travels to an isolated forest with her friends and turns to shamanic rituals and occult practices. As she delves deeper into these dark and mysterious realms, the boundaries between reality and the supernatural become increasingly blurred. Lyuba is forced to confront her own demons and wrestles with the consequences of her actions.

Awards

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The film won the Grand Prix and the Best Actor (Wolfgang Cerny) awards at the Vienna Independent Film Festival in September 2023.[4][5]

Cast

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  • Alyona Mitroshina as Lyuba
  • Wolfgang Cerny as Danila
  • Vyacheslav Chepurchenko as Sergey, Lyuba's husband
  • Viktoria Skitskaya as Sveta
  • Ekaterina Solomatina as Zoya
  • Sofya Ozerova as Eva

References

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  1. ^ "The Whirlpool (Omut) (Russia, 2023)". WorldFilmGeek.
  2. ^ a b "Любителей фильмов ужасов порадуют новым хоррором «Омут»". Komsomolskaya Pravda (in Russian).
  3. ^ a b "The Whirlpool – Interview with director Denis Kryuchkov". Indie Cinema.
  4. ^ "VIFF 2023 Gewinner". Meinbezirk.
  5. ^ "Российский триллер "Омут" отмечен на кинофестивале в Вене". KinoBusiness.
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