From a Graduation Project to the Locarno Film Festival: Elia Canevascini’s Documentary Selected for Pardi di Domani.
An important milestone for a project born within the RUFA community. Lääne/Vostok (West/East), the documentary by RUFA graduate Elia Canevascini, has been selected for the 79th Locarno Film Festival, taking place from 5 to 15 August 2026, in the Pardi di Domani – National Competition, one of the festival’s leading international showcases dedicated to emerging filmmakers and the most innovative forms of contemporary cinema.
Created as a graduation project for Elia’s degree, completed in July 2025, the documentary continued its journey through RUFA On Screen 2026, where it was selected and screened in the Animation / Experimental category, highlighting the strength of a research-driven work that moves across different languages and formats.
In Lääne/Vostok (West/East), the audience follows the journey of a group of Russian citizens from Estonia as they cross the border. Their journey becomes a portrait of a region where tensions between two ethnic communities persist, while the war in Ukraine has revived long-standing fears and historical divisions that have never completely disappeared.
Through a sensitive and carefully observed documentary approach, the film reflects on themes of identity, memory, and belonging, revealing the complexity of a geographical and cultural border marked by profound transformations.
International Recognition
Featuring forty world premieres from twenty-nine countries, the Pardi di Domani section has long been one of the most important platforms for international short filmmaking, bringing together emerging directors and established filmmakers who choose the short format as a space for experimentation.
The selection of Lääne/Vostok (West/East) in the National Competition confirms the significance of Elia Canevascini’s artistic journey and represents an important international recognition for a project developed during his studies at RUFA.
Congratulations to Elia on this outstanding achievement, and best of luck at the Locarno Film Festival!
