2026 | Fiction | 20 min. | Russia
Karina, host of Dorogoye Radio, tries to help everyone—friends, listeners, even a homeless man. But her boss Farid and director Ruslan forbid it and fire her. Left without money or a home, she stays optimistic, though asking for help is hard. The film explores resilience, positivity, and finding solutions in difficult situations.
Directors Statement
The short film “Speak up, you're on the air!” was created as a graduation project at the Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Directors at VGIK, in the workshop of A. A. Proshkin. Every stage of production—from the script to the final cut—was carried out under the close supervision of my mentor. Why did I choose this story and this heroine, and why did my mentor approve it? I wanted to tell a light, atmospheric story about an optimistic, resilient person who finds a way out of any situation. The film took a year to complete. I was lucky to work with a wonderful crew and talented actors. The most challenging этап was editing and dubbing. Now that the film is finished, I feel I would reshoot everything. Still, I am grateful to fate for bringing this film into existence, to everyone who took part in its creation, and, of course, to my mentor for his time, energy, and support. The final defense received the highest grade. I am aware of all my mistakes, but the commission especially noted the positive atmosphere we managed to create. One of the film’s greatest strengths, I believe, is the song we wrote together with composer Kirill Pochukaev, performed by Viktoria Kartunkova (MONOVIKA). I hope the film finds its audience and brings a sense of positivity.
Director: Valentina Yermanenok
Producers: Valentina Yermanenok and Elena Shamova
Сast: Daria Fisun, Ruslan Bulatov and Stanislav Eventov
