japanese
YIDFF 2011
International Competition
  • Apuda
  • Armadillo
  • The Collaborator and His Family
  • Day Is Done
  • Distinguished Flying Cross
  • The Embrace of the River
  • Images of a Lost City
  • Kantoku Shikkaku
  • Nénette
  • Nomad’s Home
  • Nostalgia for the Light
  • Position among the Stars
  • Vapor Trail (Clark)
  • What Is to Be Done?
  • The Woman with the 5 Elephants
  • The Woman with the 5 Elephants


    SWITZERLAND, GERMANY / 2009 / German, Russian / Color, B&W / 35mm / 93 min
    Director:
    Vadim Jendreyko
    www.mirafilm.ch/filme/Die-Frau-mit-den-5-Elefanten

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    An elderly literary translator, with a sharp gaze that conveys a noble intellect. The hands with which she conscientiously carries out her work are engraved with deep lines representing her memories of wartime. Born in Ukraine, she emigrated to Germany early on during World War II, and has continued to question her own past even after gaining recognition for translating five of Dostoevsky’s major novels, which she calls as the “Five Elephants.” On her first visit to her hometown after moving to Germany, the tumultuous history of Ukraine comes back to haunt her. Quietly tracing the life led by this woman, its tranquil images gracefully illustrate the power of literature to cultivate human dignity.

    Oct. 9 A6 | Oct. 11 A6