Based on real events, happened in Minsk, August 2020. Pavel and Julia, a young couple living in Minsk suburbs. They recently got married, got a mortgage for an apartment, and now are planning to have a baby. Pavel wants to check his ex-wife’s, Tanya’s car, which is at the car service nearby. He dresses up and intends to go out. Julia goes with him. Here their trip begins.

The couple ends up in the middle of protests of the civilian population, which came out against the unfair presidential elections.Tanya participates in these protests. Pavel tries to contact her, but her phone is not available. Pavel is worried, he wants to find her. Julia gets jealous. Under the cover of the night, Pavel and Julia learn on their own skin the brutality, tortures and violent behavior of the Belarusian armed Riot Units and the police. During 90 minutes, their life changes completely. A single-take film.

Boris Guts was born in Omsk, Siberia/Russia. From an early age he worked as a journalist on television. At the age of 30, he entered and graduated from the Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Directors in Moscow (VGIK). In all his works, he revealed his tough position in relation to problematic topics in Russian society, such as harassment and homophobia. His new film MINSK is based on real events in Belarus in summer 2020 that also claimed the lives of civilians, including friends and relatives of Boris.

Filmography (selection): 2016 ARBUZNYE KORKI, 2018 FAGOT, 2022 MINSK

Awards: FIPRESCI Prize and Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (Cottbus Film Festival, Germany 2022)