- August 1, 2025
- 5:09 pm
- Israel
Ukrainian drama “The Two Prosecutors” by Sergei Loznitsa has already received top critical acclaim — now it awaits audiences at the 42nd Jerusalem Film Festival on July 21, 23, and 25, 2025. The NAnews editorial team has prepared a detailed review.
Sergei Loznitsa himself spoke about his film and its parallels with modern Putin’s Russia:
“Blood runs cold at how much this story resonates with the present. It feels as if we have returned to the times before World War II, as though no lessons were learned from the events that occurred 80–90 years ago. … Unfortunately, the theme of Stalinist terror will remain relevant as long as totalitarian regimes exist in the world.”
The film’s cast includes Russian performers who emigrated from the Russian Federation after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine: Alexander Kuznetsov, Anatoly Bely, Alexander Filippenko, etc. The premiere of “The Two Prosecutors” took place on May 14, 2025, in the main competition program of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where the film was highly praised by critics.
“The Two Prosecutors”: how Sergei Loznitsa brought to life the novel of a Kharkiv physicist
Imagine you are a young prosecutor in 1937 walking into a cold detention cell for the first time. Instead of files, you are met with a letter written in blood—a cry for justice that the guards mock. It is from this moment that “The Two Prosecutors” begins—the first feature film by Sergei Loznitsa since 2018 and the start of his trilogy based on the novels of the Kharkiv physicist and GULAG prisoner, Georgy Demidov.
From novel to screen
In May 2024, Loznitsa announced: “My next film will be born from Demidov’s text.”
The novel, written by a GULAG prisoner, describes how the Soviet machine of terror seizes not only bodies but souls. Loznitsa transferred the key scenes to the screenplay: the prisoner’s letter, the fabricated charges, the trial where truth sells for fear.
But he also added his own touches—conversations about why people are willing to lie to themselves and others to survive. “The shadows of Gogol and Kafka will not let you go even in the brightest rays of freedom,” the director said, weighing every word.
Filming and cinematographic magic
October 2024, Riga, the former 1905 prison. Loznitsa and cinematographer Oleg Mutu abandoned conventional techniques: static camera, long takes without cuts, a pale color palette. In these gray walls, even the rustle of footsteps sounds like a verdict. Together they achieved an effect where each frame grips the throat and never lets go.
Costumes and co-production
Six countries—Ukraine, Latvia, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Romania, Lithuania—joined forces to bring “The Two Prosecutors” to the world. Dorota Rokepło sourced vintage 1930s fabrics and hand-stitched costumes that look like authentic artifacts of the past, rather than theatrical garments.
Cast
- Alexander Kuznetsov — Alexander Kornev, an idealistic prosecutor naively believing in the law
- Anatoly Bely — Andrei Vyshinsky, Prosecutor General of the USSR, a cold bureaucrat
- Alexander Filippenko — Stepnyak, a one-legged prisoner whose story becomes a catalyst
- Evgeny Terletsky — author of the blood-written letter, a voice of despair and hope simultaneously
Why watch now
“The Two Prosecutors” is not a spectacle about the past, but a warning about the future. When personal conscience clashes with a ruthless system, the choice costs more than life itself. Loznitsa proves: to understand today, one must return to 1937 and listen to the whisper of the walls.
Screenings of Sergei Loznitsa’s “The Two Prosecutors” will be held as follows:
- Monday, July 21, 2025, 16:30 — Cinematheque 1 (Code A83)
- Wednesday, July 23, 2025, 18:15 — Lev Smadar, “In the presence of the Producer” screening (Code E156)
- Friday, July 25, 2025, 19:45 — Cinematheque 1 (Code A188)
Tickets are available on the festival website — https://jff.org.il/en/movie/85869
History of the Jerusalem Film Festival
May 1984: Ettore Scola’s “Le Bal” opens the first festival, and the audience includes Lilian Gish, Jeanne Moreau, and Warren Beatty. Three weeks, about 100 films, and a debut that started an international event. By the late 1980s, the format had been reduced to ten days, the number of films increased to 150–200, and in 1989 the “Volgin” award for Israeli directors was introduced. In 2010, “Volgin” was replaced by the Haggiag Family Award, cementing the festival’s status as Israel’s premier cinematic platform. Today JFF annually attracts over 70,000 viewers and hundreds of industry professionals.
Program July 2025
See the full program on the festival website — https://jff.org.il/
From July 17 to 26, over 200 films will be screened across Jerusalem’s venues—from major competition entries to daring experimental works:
- International Competition: feature and documentary films recognized at Cannes, Venice, and Berlin.
- “In the Spirit of Freedom”: films about human rights and those who refused to stay silent in the face of injustice.
- “Jewish Experience”: stories of memory, roots, and contemporary challenges of Jewish culture.
- Experimental Cinema: where boundaries of reality blur, challenging perception.
Professional Opportunities
The festival is not only screenings but also a live dialogue among creators:
- Jerusalem Pitch Point: a platform where Israeli producers present projects to potential European and American partners.
- Master Classes: hands-on sessions with renowned directors, cinematographers, and editors, breaking down techniques and sharing insights.
- Roundtables and Networking Sessions: discussions on trends and co-production mechanisms, where you can ask experts directly.
These formats form the foundation for new co-productions and help authors go from ideas to realization.
Support for Israeli Cinema
The total prize fund is about 1,000,000 shekels. Part of the funds goes to main awards, and part to grants for debut filmmakers and support for local projects. Thus, the festival not only showcases films but also invests in the future of cinema on home ground.
For us at NAnews – Israel News, the Jerusalem Festival is not just an annual marathon of premieres but a platform where voices of different cultures and generations meet. In July, we will live in the rhythm of screenings, draw inspiration from master lectures, and return home with a renewed view of the world. Join us— we promise to share the most vivid impressions and behind-the-scenes stories of the festival.
Screenings of Sergei Loznitsa’s “The Two Prosecutors” will be held as follows:
- Monday, July 21, 2025, 16:30 — Cinematheque 1 (Code A83)
- Wednesday, July 23, 2025, 18:15 — Lev Smadar, “In the presence of the Producer” screening (Code E156)
- Friday, July 25, 2025, 19:45 — Cinematheque 1 (Code A188)
Tickets are available on the festival website — https://jff.org.il/en/movie/85869
