New East Cinema presents the UK premiere of 'Elixir' (Russia, 2006, Dir. Daniil Zinchenko). This is part of an exciting film series curated by The New Social, presented by Calvert 22 in collaboration with Barbican Centre.

New East Cinema looks across Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Russia and Central Asia to uncover the most thought-provoking cinema coming from today’s "New East".

Daniil Zinchenko’s debut feature is a work of contemporary art as much as cinema, and revolves around two central metaphors: the horizontal physical life, with its quest for happiness, love, and universal solidarity; and the celestial vertical, with its dream of resurrection and eternity. Inspired by Andrei Platonov’s writings, this contemporary fairy tale is a story of scientists, guerilla fighters, cosmonauts, government officials who roam around in a Motherland where each character represents a certain type, or a way of thinking.

After the screening, there will be a Q&A with director Zinchenko, moderated by Alex Anikina.

You can find more information about the event here.