Moscow Freestyle explores the lives of young Westerners who left their homes to start a new life someplace else - in Russia.

We meet Gwain Hamilton in Moscow, three years after he becomes an English teacher there. He loves the place, the culture, the language, he even loves the ugly things that can be seen plenty in Moscow.Gwain seems to feel that Moscow could be his home for the rest of his life. This is when, within two short weeks, the unthinkable chain of events takes place.

The Terrorist Attacks, related to the war in Chechnya, shake Moscow and Russia: bombs on buses, suicide-bombing of planes by Chechen terrorists, explosions in the Metro, and the killing of hundreds of children on the first day of school in Beslan shock the Russian society.

Gwain witnesses how within days fear and anger change the mood in the city. The Russian version of freedom turns into the ruthlessness of the authorities, discrimination against non-Russians, intolerance of other nationalities and religions. Even Gwain’s belief, that he is a full member of Russian society, is shattered when he learns that everyone still sees him as a foreigner. He notices that all his true friends are foreigners just like him that pretend Russia is their new home. This is when Gwain takes a serious look at what he is doing in Moscow and grows up.

"The film provides an excellent portrait of post-communist Moscow through the eyes of young Westerners."

Andrew Jenks, California State University, Long Beach
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Educational Media Reviews Online

"With clarity and integrity, this documentary captures the changes that take place in Russia...Strongly Recommended"

Ernest Jaeger, formerly with North Plainfield Schs., NJ
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Library Journal

The Filmmakers

Director, Producer, Cinematographer
Julia Ivanova's filmography includes producing and directing "From Russia, For Love", a documentary on international adoption, that has screened on CBC's Passionate Eye and has been sold internationally. She directed her second documentary "I Want a Woman", about Eastern European men looking for love in the North American world, for Make Believe Media and CBC “Rough Cuts”. She recently completed another documenatry "Fatherhood Dreams" for Global Currents on gay men parenting. Julia is a graduate of the Russian film school VGIK.

Executive Producer
Boris Ivanov is Interfilm’s “hands on” producer in charge of development and production as well as marketing for the slate of documentaries. His producing credits include the documentaries Fatherhood Dreams, From Russia, For Love.. Other credits include theatrical recreations director/producer for CBS/History channel’s Beyond Top Secret, which has earned two News and Documentary Emmy® nominations in 2007.

The Music
“Moscow Freestyle” features the music of a great European jazz musician, a Norwegian, Nils Petter Molvaer as well as the lyrics and songs of a talented Vancouver band The Manvils.

The News:
"Moscow Freestyle" has won a Humanity Award at the Red Shift Festival in New York. It is currently screening on Yes/DBS in Israel and on "Planete" Poland.