HOW TO SAVE A DEAD FRIEND

The monster that is depression roars silently because, in Russia, depression is not allowed to have a voice. Putin has seen to that. In HOW TO SAVE A DEAD FRIEND, filmmaker Marusya Syroechkovskaya chronicles over a decade of her emotional roller coaster in life, love, and deep-seated despair.

Kimi was a history major with a brilliant mind, a great sense of humor, and a penchant for drug use. Marusya’s childhood was a bit more idyllic, but that didn’t stop her suicidal ideation. The two bonded over music, beliefs, and self-destructive ideas. They also filmed every waking moment.

Kimi’s traumatic childhood and Russia’s national political upheaval created the perfect ticking time bomb of existence. He and Marusya needed each other to stay alive, but unresolved trauma is a killer lying in wait. Through marriage, rehab, divorce, and Kimi on a headlong downward spiral, Marusya must find other ways to dull the inner chaos. She had to decide, make a plan to live, or join her innumerable friends in suicide.

Marusya Syroechkovskaya’s dedication and fearless openness make it easy to understand why this film won Grand Jury Prize/ Int’l competition at DOC NYC 2022. HOW TO SAVE A DEAD FRIEND is an intimate and unfiltered look at addiction, love, and attempts to survive one more day. It is a must-see film.