Domum

A young teacher in a Belarusian village, deeply rooted in the history of his homeland. A drag artist who had to leave his country to start a new life in Kiev. Two people whose paths never cross, but whose stories share a common theme: the search for identity and belonging in a country, Belarus, that stands between tradition and change. A film that documents these contrasting life paths and raises questions about home, freedom, and self-determination. DOMUM is a documentary portrait of two life plans, captured by Belarusian underground filmmaker Max Siry. The film links Misha, a teacher and regional historian in Podorosk, with Edik, an LGBTQ activist and drag artist living in Kiev. Their stories are accompanied by biting commentary that deliberately recalls Soviet school films—a stylistic device that ironically mirrors the past and present. The film has been shown at the Northern Lights Film Festival 2022 and the Mittel Punkt Europa Filmfest 2023, among others. It received an Honorable Mention at the Tamizhagam Film Festival 2023.