IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ALEXANDER NEVSKY

Two people speak Sign Language in a rural library. Kolya, who is hard of hearing, and Tanya, who is deaf. They are professional guides and invite viewers on a unique journey. The camera pulls back and the audience sees the entire film crew. The journey begins... The film crew does not hide behind the scenes. The group finishes filming the scene, gets on a bus or a plane and goes to the next filming location in Italy, in Russia, in Mongolia. This documentary in Russian Sign Language looks at the Russian Prince Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1220 - 1263), famous for his campaigns, travels through the Mongol Empire and correspondence with the Pope. Tracing the hagiographic story of Alexander’s life, the film attempts to recreate an amazing picture of the world between East Asia and the Mediterranean in the time of Alexander. It also focuses on Giovanni da Pian del Carpini, a Franciscan monk, missionary and the first European traveller to Mongolia. The film features a selection of unique items, such as a paiza of Uzbek Khan of the Golden Horde (mid-14th c.), the sword of Prince Daumantas of Pskov (late 13th c.), the manuscript of The Vita of St Alexander Nevsky (late 13th c.), on display in Russian museums; two letters from Pope Innocent IV to Prince Alexander (1248), a letter from Great Khan Guyuk to Pope Innocent IV (1246) at the Apostolic Archive of the Vatican and and an old copy of Carpini’s History of the Mongols (14th c.) from Biblioteca e Centro di Documentazione Francescana in Assisi. The documentary is in Russian Sign Language with subtitles in English language and voiced by deaf and hard of hearing people.