Cones / Shishki

Credits

cast

Ekaterina Kononenko

Director
12/22/1975

Biography

Ekaterina Kononenko is a Russian independent film producer. Graduated from The Russian State University of Cinematography, screenwriting department. In the film business since 1998. She began her career as an assistant director at Mosfilm. In 2012, together with Ilya Naishuller, they founded the film company Versus Pictures.

Directors Statement

For over twenty years, I've worked in the film industry as a producer. During this time, I've released more than ten movies, thirty music videos, and advertising spots. But I've always been drawn to animation and didn't know how to approach it. This year, thanks to new technologies, I started realizing my dream with my own hands. I recognize that neural networks will radically transform our world in the near future, including the film industry, offering boundless opportunities to creative individuals like me. My short film was shot during a journey through the mountainous Altai near Lake Teletskoye, in a cedar forest inhabited by a genuine Siberian shaman. This story is about the meeting of the past and the future, an encounter with oneself. Both the astronaut and the shaman are played by the same actor. All the script decisions were born in this forest, and the shooting was done on an iPhone. After that, I processed the footage in the Kaiber neural network, testing over 20 stylistic directions, and chose the most suitable one. This film is a step towards understanding oneself and one's potentials, both internal and creative.