Russia Unwrapped

Come with me on a journey into the unique world of Yakutian cinema. I'll be exploring the film industry of this vast region in eastern Siberia - known more for its -50c winters and woolly mammoth graveyards than its prize-winning cinematic productions (though hopefully not for long). Helping me make sense of the wider cultural and historical context is Irina Engelis, founder and CEO of the Yakutsk International Film Festival. The film My Murderer is available to watch with English subtitles on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088JWWFZB/) Every other film covered in the episode can be found with Russian subtitles here (https://sakhamovie.ru/) Olonkho performed by Vitaly Nikiforov Music: Limelight (Michael Howard)

I'm joined by architect, designer and researcher Anastasiia Gerasimova to discuss the Russian banya, or bathhouse. Tune in to discover its fascinating history, and learn why it holds a social and cultural significance far beyond that of a simple steam room. You can read more about Anastasiia's work on her website: http://www.anastasiiagerasimova.com/ I couldn't have written this episode without Ethan Pollock's brilliant "Without the Banya We Would Perish: A History of the Russian Bathhouse", which you can learn about here: https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780195395488.001.0001/oso-9780195395488 Music: Limelight (Michael Howard)

Former captain of the Russian national rugby side Vasily Artemyev tells me the remarkable story of a career which has taken him from Irish schools rugby to scoring a try on the sport's highest stage. I also delve into the little-known but fascinating history of Russian rugby, discovering how a team of Welshmen from Llanelli RFC kickstarted its development, and why the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk is the unofficial Russian home of the sport. Music: Limelight (Michael Howard); Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottessohn (James Kibbie)

Architectural conservationist, activist and author Polina Ivanova tells me about her pioneering work in preserving the Soviet architectural legacy of Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city. She takes me through the intriguing historical context of Soviet architecture from the revolution right up to perestroika, and also explains why the Russian mentality presents particular challenges to her work. You can support Polina's current project, a book on the Soviet modernist architecture of Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg) via her Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/ekb300svx Music: Limelight (Michael Howard)

Russian 'punk ethnographer' Bulat Khalilov tells me about Ored Recordings, the ethnographic music label he founded in 2014 with musician Timur Kodzoko. Ored travel around southern Russia's Caucasus mountains and beyond to record the authentic traditional music of different cultures and ethnic groups. You can find more of Ored Recordings' music on their Bandcamp page: https://oredrecordings.bandcamp.com/ The film 'Bonfires & Stars' featuring Ored's work is available to watch for free with English subtitles: https://vimeo.com/136435480 Music: Zaur Nagoy - Song of the Boar and the Dog (from Bonfires & Stars sessions) Khadizhat Alieva and Patimat Kabukueva - Lilyur Lilyur (from Hapshima - Old Dargin songs) Intro/end music: Limelight (Michael Howard)

Russian ultra runner Oleg Kharitonov tells me how he went from an underprivileged childhood in a remote Siberian village during the Soviet Union's period of "stagnation" to becoming the fastest man ever over 100 miles. Oleg also won South Africa's prestigious Comrades Marathon in 2006 and holds two individual and four team gold medals from the 100km European Championships. He currently coaches a number of ultra runners as well as marathon para-athletes. While Oleg's recounting of his experiences had me truly absorbed, his story more broadly follows the contours of life in Russia over the past half century. Music: Limelight (Michael Howard)