In the Chernobyl “Dead Zone” or “Exclusion Zone,” the film’s central characters - Hanna Zavorotnya (80), Valentyna Ivanivna (72), and Maria Shovkuta (85) - are the last survivors of a community of “self settlers” who refused to leave their ancestral homes after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. This portrait of a community tells a remarkable tale about the pull of home, the healing power of shaping one's own destiny and the subjective nature of risk.

About Holly Morris & Anne Bogart:

Holly Morris makes films that explore the lives of risk-taking, contemporary women around the globe; including, Behind Closed Chad-ors and Paradox Found. Her award-winning journalism on the The Babushkas of Chernobyl (2011) is also the subject of her popular TED Talk.

Anne Bogart has filmed around the world for the PBS travel series “Globe Trekker” for 12 years. She has produced and directed programming for both French and English- based broadcasters, including the long-running pop culture magazine “Eurotrash” in the U.K.

About Women in Film

Women in Film features the voices and verve of women in an arena that has been traditionally dominated by men. In celebrating the achievements of women working in the film industry, this edition of the programme highlights the career of acclaimed film editor Mary Stephen alongside short and feature-length documentaries by women filmmakers.

Visit our website for information about the programme: objectifs.com.sg/womeninfilm2016