MOSCOW CITIZENS AND GUESTS OF THE CAPITAL IS A SERIES OF VIDEOS DEVOTED TO THE CITY OF MOSCOW AND PEOPLE LIVING THERE OR COMING THERE JUST FOR A VISIT. VASILCHENKO USES INFORMAL FILM TECHNIQUES TO MIRROR THE DAILY ROUTINES OF MOSCOW LIFE CLOSER TO REALITY. ONCE RECORDED, THE VIDEOS START TELLING STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE'S NATURE AND CUSTOMS WITHOUT WORDS. WE SEE ENDLESS PROCESSIONS OF STRANGERS UNITED BY UNSPOKEN RULES. THE IRRATIONAL NATURE OF THESE RULES IS THE MAIN TOPIC OF ALINA VASILCHENKOS INVESTIGATIONS. RAILWAY STATION SHOWS US THE EVERYDAY CEREMONY OF GETTING TO THE STATION WITHOUT A TICKET. ACCORDING TO THE RITUAL, THE HEROES OF THE VIDEO HELP AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER WITHOUT ANY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS. EVEN THE STATION GUARDS SEEM TO SYMPATHIZE WITH THE TRESPASSERS WITHOUT SHOWING ANY INTENTIONS TO DISTURB THE COMMON PRACTICE. PEOPLE ARE READY TO RISK THEIR LIVES AND HEALTH WHETHER THEY CLIMB THE PLATFORM WITH THE PURPOSE OF SAVING SOME TIME AND MONEY, OR CLIMB A FOUNTAIN SCULPTURE JUST TO TAKE A COMMEMORATIVE PICTURE, AS WE SEE IT IN THE VIDEO FOUNTAIN. EVEN THE CITY BIRDS SEEM TO JOIN THE RITUAL, FIGHTING FOR A PIECE OF A PLASTIC BAG THAT WOULD PROBABLY KILL THEM. MOSCOW BEAUTIES VIDEO IS TAKING OUR MIND OFF THE PESSIMISTIC THOUGHTS, AND WE PLUNGE INTO THE WORLD OF CITY CHARM AND FASHION. TAKING PHOTOS OR JUST WALKING AROUND, MOSCOW WOMEN ALWAYS TRY TO LOOK LIKE FAIRYTALE PRINCESSES OR SUPERMODELS. HIGH HEELS AND A RADIANT MAKE-UP SEEM TO BE THE ONLY WAY TO ACCESS HAPPINESS IN THESE TIMES, WHICH ARE SO DIFFICULT FOR THE COUNTRY'S ECONOMY.
ALINA VASILCHENKO IS AN ARTIST AND FILM MAKER BASED IN MOSCOW. SHE HAS A DEGREE IN ECONOMICS FROM MOSCOW UNIVERSITY AND HAS STUDIED FILM PRODUCTION AT MOSFILM STUDIO. HER VIDEOS AIM TO CONVEY AN INHERENT POETRY IN EVERYDAY ENCOUNTERS, AS SUCH THE ARTIST MAKES A PURPOSEFUL DECISION TO USE INFORMAL FILM TECHNIQUES TO CREATE WORKS THAT MIRROR REALITY.
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