The New Saint

The New Saint is a film about Yevgeny Rodionov, an ordinary young Russian boy who fell in the first Chechen war after being taken prisoner and refusing to convert to Islam. He was proclaimed a martyr and many Russians found in Yevgeny their own unofficial saint.

The life of Yevgeny’s mother underwent a radical change when her child ‘became’ a saint. By campaigning for his canonisation she keeps the memory of her son alive. The success of her mission is illustrated by the portrayal of Yevgeny’s image on icons throughout the country. Who is this holy soldier exactly and what makes him the perfect icon of Russia today?

Director:  Allard Detiger

Writer:  Sean Glavey, Juan Sebastian Lopez Maas

(Co-)producers:  Volya Films, Serendipity Films

Release Date: 2010

Partners: Netherlands Film Fund, Flanders Audiovisual Fund, Rotterdam Media Fund,  Thuiskopie Fund

Length: 70 minutes

Genre: Documentary

Director of photography: Maasja Ooms

Editors: Jan de Coster

Sound engineer: David Spaans

Sound designers: Ranko Paukovic

Composers: Paleis van Boem