Bordered by Horizon
Documentary by Svetlana Bakushina, 2007 IMDB
Synopsis
In this work, I portray the life of a bedroom community that its inhabitants call the “Proletarian Settlement.” A world full of joy and sorrow, surrounded by typical Soviet-era buildings. I filmed it in 2007 in Novosibirsk — my hometown.
The Concept
Bordered by Horizon is a long-term observation, captured from my window in Novosibirsk. My intention was to keep it poetic, yet honest and unfiltered — a kind of visual milieu study that reveals the quiet depths of a shared cultural identity. The footage unfolds in visual-rhythmic notes, scene by scene. These moments happen casually before our eyes, unstaged and sincere, which gives them a high degree of authenticity.
The People
We watch children, teenagers, outsiders, adults, and the elderly as they go about their daily lives — working, resting, and simply being. Seen through countless windows of anonymous apartment blocks, and outside in every season, day and night, these ordinary people gradually become the true protagonists of a place that, despite its sameness, holds a world entirely its own.
FESTIVALS AND AWARDS
🏆 Best art film – XII International Festival of Film and Television “Golden Drum”, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, 2008
🏆 Best documentary – Festival of Young Cinema “Green Apple” Novosibirsk, Russia, 2008
🏆 XXX Moscow International Film Festival. Moscow, Russia, 2008
🏆 Washougal International film festival. Washougal, USA, 2008
🏆 Festival of direct cinema Kinoteatr.doc, Moscow, Russia, 2008
🏆 International Documentary Film Festival “Meetings in Siberia”, 2008
🏆 Solo film exhibition at Städtische Galerie in Bremen, Germany, 2007
XII International Festival of Film and Television “Golden Drum”, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, 2008
I was honored to receive the Best Art Film award from the hands of my fellow Novosibirsk native, art historian
Vladimir Nazansky — and luckily, I have a few photos to keep the memories alive.
Integrating Cinema into Opera
Fragments of this film were incorporated into the opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, staged at the largest opera theatre in Siberia. Composed by Dmitri Shostakovich and directed by acclaimed Polish filmmaker and theatre director Henryk Baranowski, the production integrated my video work as large-scale projections on the stage backdrop, adding a powerful visual dimension to the performance. The opera received widespread recognition, winning five Golden Mask national theatre awards — including award for Best Opera.
Photographs from the premier night of the opera
Film Feedback
Professor Vitaliy Gonnov, film director, Honored Art Worker of RF, and chairman of the Novosibirsk regional branch of the Union of Cinematographers, shared his thoughts on my documentary Bordered by Horizon. As someone whose opinion I deeply respect, his response to the film meant a great deal to me.
Behind the scenes
Looking Out from Within
I spent several years mostly at home, taking care of my baby. During that time, I found myself increasingly drawn to the world unfolding just beyond my window. The scenes I witnessed were often satirical, sad, and funny — sometimes all at once. I remember a wedding where the groom slipped away to smoke weed with his friends, believing no one was watching. I often felt like an outsider, disconnected from the rhythm of life out there — and yet, I couldn’t help but be captivated by the poetic and metaphorical quality of what I was seeing. It was both ugly and beautiful.
One Window, One Camera
The entire film was shot from a single point: my window. As soon as I noticed something beginning to happen, I would quietly turn on the camera. Over the course of about a year, I recorded roughly 25 hours of footage.
Finding the Rhythm
Later, I went through it all and carefully selected the strongest fragments. Piece by piece, I arranged them — like a puzzle — not following a narrative, but an inner rhythm. Each scene fell into place, building a quiet portrait of a place that revealed more than it seemed.
The window from which the entire film was shot — and the MiniDV camera that captured it.