During my two-year struggle as an emigrant, I explored two sides of modern Berlin: on one hand, broken, homeless, carrying the weight of past traumas and present social troubles; on the other, still searching naively and optimistically for paradise. Two Russian siblings find themselves trying to overcome guilt, depression, and
the challenges of emigration, while rediscovering the meaning of family and belonging. Kindergarten Optimisten becomes the pivotal point of growth and challenge for
the complex character of Iggy, who fled mobilisation, burdened by the guilt of his father going to war.
I place my characters in critical mental challenges and pit them against each other to highlight their intense emotional and psychological paradoxes. As a young female Russian director, my goals mean being brave, realistic, and exploring the “father figure” in my life — whether that be home, state, or God. The most difficult challenge, as always, is remaining optimistic and hoping for a better future, just as my characters and I try to do in Kindergarten Optimisten.