Aleksandre Zharaya
Oko - Film - 17min - 2025
presented as part of the exhibition Panorama 27
Hidden in a photo album belonging to the author’s mother are strange images of her youth in Russia as part of a colourful yoga club, later revealed to be a new age cult called Oko Vozrojdenia (“The Eye of Rebirth”), of which she was an active member before our arrival in France.
Today, she devotes herself to other cults via the internet and social media: far-right disinformation campaigns, Putinism, homophobia, transphobia and Qanon conspiracy theories, all of which bring their own share of propaganda, gurus, rites, and of course sacrifices.
In this semi-documentary tale tinged with black humour, Aleksandre Zharaya plays his own mother and re-enacts the album's photographs, with their blend of vernacular creativity and underlying political and familial violence, culminating in a disturbing Midsummer's night.
Aleksandre Zharaya
Born in Omsk, Russia, in 1998, Aleksandre Zharaya lives and works in Roubaix. He holds a DMA in animation cinema from ESAAT, a Master’s degree in art from the University of Lille and a DNSEP from ESA Dunkerque-Tourcoing. At the heart of his creative process are political, personal, family and historical fictions, explored through three main themes: projection, reflection and myth. His audiovisual work was presented at Lille Art’Up in 2023, and at the Louvre-Lens in 2023 and 2024.
Production
Credits
› Assistante réalisation : Rose Arnold
› Seconde assistante réalisation : Ohniana Kondrachuk
› Director of photography : Alice Brunnquell
› Assistante caméra : Alicia Warin
› Gaffer : Eloi Lemee
› Assistantes électriciennes : Louise Sant, Éva Clément
› Régisseur : Anatole Vigliano
› Cast : "Jesus", Aloïs, Aleksandre Zharaya, Boris Grzeszczak, David Owen Brugeilles, Emma Monnoyeur, Florent Dégé, Franklin Sautet, Gabriel Boisdron, Henni Ayoub, Isabelle Trin, Ohniana Kondrachuk, Rachel Gutgarts, Stan Briche
› Figuration : Anatole Vigliano, Julie Bertrand, Ludivine Sibelle, Margot Deruyck, Maxence Cornette, Mel Zoks, Romy Chapelle
› Hmc : Julie Bertrand, Margot Deruyck
› Catering : Florent Dégé
› Aide catering : Gabriel Boisdron, Olivia Heldebaume
› Sécurité feu tournage : Jonathan Vero
› Conduite tournage : Felix Dal Pos, Mel Zoks
› Composition originale, sound design : Pierre Mendola
› Directrice artistique musique, chant : Janitta Pel
› Ingénieurs son (voix off et chant) : Antoine Sugita, Benjamin Poilane
› Stagiaires son : Caroline Ferrari, Dany Jalain, Emmanuelle Depauw
› Voix complotistes : Aleksandre Zharaya, Boris Grzeszczak, Patrícia Neves Gomes, Rachel Gutgarts, Victor Missud, Ysé Sorel
› Graphisme : Nanut Thanapornrapee
› Mixing : Simon Apostolou
› Color grading : Marie-Sarah Piron
› Consultation montage : Isabelle Ingold
› Accompagnement pédagogique : Bertrand Mandico
› Production manager : Estelle Benazet
