Celestial Wives of the Meadow Mari

The Meadow Mari are a Finno-Urgic ethnic group living on the left bank of the Volga River in central Russia, sometimes called ‘the last authentic pagans in Europe’. Across twenty-three short chapters, Celestial Wives of the Meadow Mari presents a catalogue of fairytales and folklore, a tableau of a culture driven by ritualistic appreciation for female beauty and sexuality.

Like many a traditional folklore narrative, the film leads to a surprising and devastating climax, but here it's a climax of sheer uplifting joy and wonder. Oh, and the film features likely the saddest and most likeable zombie in film history.

Channelling the legendary Russian director Sergei Parajanov - The Colour of Pomegranates (1968) & Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1965) - director Aleksei Fedorchenko here has crafted a film suffused with tenderness, empathy and respect for human dignity with a sense of humour and gentle sensibility that strike a harmony between human scenes and stories variously grotesque and tender.

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Enjoy more Folklore films for less!

The more individual films you see in this season the more money you save.

• See two different films, save 15% 

• See three different films, save 20% 

• See four or more different films, save 25% 

Tickets must be purchased together in a single transaction for discounts to apply.

This offer works in conjunction with 16mm/35mm/70mm members and concession discounts, helping you save even more money. It does not include Song of the Sea, which is Pay What You Can, or work in conjunction with 15-25 members' discounts.