HOUSE OF FOOLS

English Title: HOUSE OF FOOLS

Based on a true story, HOUSE OF FOOLS unfolds in a mental hospital located on the border of the North Caucasian republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia. Russia is at war with Chechnya and the military machine is rolling in the direction of an asylum housing a multi-cultural microcosm of psychiatric patients. As the bombs start to fall, the nurses flee, and leave the lunatics to the mercy of fate. But as fate would have it, the soldiers who turn up at the asylum turn out to be a polite bunch of Chechen irregulars. They sing beautiful folk songs, accompanied by accordion-playing inmate Janna. Janna, who is obsessed with Canadian pop star Bryan Adams (whose cameos and song, “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman,” are high comic points), falls for a flirtatious soldier and believes that she will marry him. The clash between Janna's intense feelings for the soldier and the ugly war machine, visualized by a falling, exploding helicopter she doesn't even notice, is the most powerful part of the film. The main characters are played by actors, but real patients make up the supporting cast. Like ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST or KING OF HEARTS, HOUSE OF FOOLS raises the question of whether true madness lies within or outside the asylum walls. Winner of the Jury Prize and UNICEF Prize at the 2002 Venice Film Festival. (In Russian with English subtitles)