THE FORGOTTEN DOOR, 20min., USA
Directed by Anzor Mulkoev
On the edge of town, next to a landfill, lives a man, broken and forgotten. His life seems empty until he finds a discarded door among the trash. This door opens to any place on Earth, as long as there is a door there too. With each step through this door, the joy for life returns to him. But he discovers an even more astonishing turn in his life when he finds himself in the very place he once decided to leave – his hometown.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I worked at a construction site and after work tired I had to go home for a long time. Then I thought to myself “if only to open the door immediately home or somewhere on the sea to relax” and from this the idea of the film was born.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

We had two three pauses in post-production, our sound engineer fell ill, then they were looking for a new person who would deal with visual effects, and I also decided to move. It all took more than a year.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

I think this is a film about a man who was tired and broke but got hope.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The biggest obstacle was communication with the team on post-production after my move. Communication with the team was through the producer, I could not communicate with them directly and it was strange and difficult, I do not know why it was done, but it seems to me that it worsened and stretched the work, many ideas were not fully understood, some details were lost somewhere in communication. In general, it was difficult to work like that.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It was very exciting and pleasant. It’s a pleasant feeling that someone is not near you and not from your acquaintances, but somewhere in another city watching your movie and sharing their impression of it. You feel like a director.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I have been fond of films since childhood. My uncle had a small grocery store and there he had video tapes with films for rent and I reviewed all the films, I also sometimes did editing when I was at school. I am from Chechnya and my childhood and adolescence fell on two wars with Russia. Our people at that time had no idea that they could make a movie and do it professionally, and I also thought so. At that time, the choice of professions for us then was not great: a lawyer, an accountant, a physician, a builder. My parents wanted me to study as a builder, and already at the university I realized that we can also be engaged in directing and cinema.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Consciously, I myself most often revised the film “Equilibrium” Kurt Wimmer.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

There were a lot of elements at your festival to promote the film and it’s a big job to connect people who will give a video review or write a review of the film. This is both pleasant for the director and also helps him to move closer to the dream of making a big movie. I don’t even know what can be added to the work you do. Well, maybe if there is any opportunity you have to involve producers in the festival (I understand that they are very busy people, maybe they are looking for new talents) to watch the winners’ films at home or anywhere in order to somehow bring them closer to the implementation of a big movie.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

I like this platform, I would be happy to shake hands with the person who gave this platform.

10. What is your favorite meal?

This is a difficult question for me, it is always difficult for me to answer the question related to what I love. There are always different sushi, pizza or national Chechen.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I would very much like to make a new film. There are many ideas.