Documentary, 45min.
Production: Igor Shadkhan´s studio, RF, 2009
Author and composer – Svetlana Bakushina
Composer – Sayan Andriyanov
IMDB
The Healer’s Double Life
The documentary To Beat or Not to Beat is set against the backdrop of the Great Recession in Russia (2008–2009). This film follows a psychotherapist struggling with his own mental health while navigating economic hardship. To survive financially, he takes on seasonal work as Father Frost during New Year holidays while simultaneously offering an unconventional stress-relief method known as flogging therapy — a controversial practice developed by Professor Speranskiy. The film examines the psychological toll on both the therapist and his clients, who pay to be physically beaten in the belief it will alleviate their emotional pain, revealing how economic crisis can drive both healers and patients toward desperate measures.
Awards & Selections
🏆 Best Documentary — Festival of Young Cinema “Green Apple”, Novosibirsk, Russia, 2010
🎬 Official Selection — Festival Internacional de Cinema Jovem, Espinho, Portugal, 2011