

The Gulls
Чайки
Synopsis
Elza lives in a small town in the Republic of Kalmykia on the Caspian Sea. Another year comes to an end, it’s cold and the steppe is covered in a thin layer of snow. When her husband, who makes a living from illegal fishing, asks her one night what she did during the day, she lies. She wasn’t at her mother’s, but at the bus stop. She thought of leaving – to find out what it might be to escape the infinite expanse of her dreary small world. But she didn’t dare; instead she stays and withdraws into herself, unconcerned by who might see. One day, her husband doesn’t return from a dangerous boat trip. It is said that a fisherman only returns if he has a woman waiting for him and that seagulls are the souls of the missing. At the start of a somewhat unplanned pregnancy, widowed and alone, Elza wanders ever further through the city, plotting a path between tradition and the contemporary until she’s no longer on familiar ground.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Release History & Theatrical Window
Berlin International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Ella Manzheeva
- Screenplay & Story
- Ella Manzheeva
- Original Score
- Anton Silaev
- Original Title
- Чайки
- Country of Origin
- Russia
- Spoken Languages
- Russian
- Runtime
- 1h 27m
- Production Studios
- Telesto
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Ella Manzheeva
Ella Manzheeva
Anton Silaev
Alexandr Kuznetsov
Sergey Ivanov
Tatyana Sarana, Elena Glikman, Viktoriya Lupik
Department Leadership Roster
Tatyana Sarana
Producer
Denis Bauer
Production Design
Ella Manzheeva
Director
Sergey Ivanov
Editor
Elena Glikman
Producer
Alexandr Kuznetsov
Director of Photography
Ella Manzheeva
Screenplay
Viktoriya Lupik
Producer
Anton Silaev
Original Music Composer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Gulls.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Gulls
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Gulls about?
Elza lives in a small town in the Republic of Kalmykia on the Caspian Sea. Another year comes to an end, it’s cold and the steppe is covered in a thin layer of snow. When her husband, who makes a living from illegal fishing, asks her one night what she did during the day, she lies. She wasn’t at her mother’s, but at the bus stop. She thought of leaving – to find out what it might be to escape the infinite expanse of her dreary small world. But she didn’t dare; instead she stays and withdraws into herself, unconcerned by who might see. One day, her husband doesn’t return from a dangerous boat trip. It is said that a fisherman only returns if he has a woman waiting for him and that seagulls are the souls of the missing. At the start of a somewhat unplanned pregnancy, widowed and alone, Elza wanders ever further through the city, plotting a path between tradition and the contemporary until she’s no longer on familiar ground.
Who directed The Gulls?
The Gulls was directed by Ella Manzheeva.
Who stars in The Gulls?
The principal cast of The Gulls includes Evgeniya Mandzhieva, Sergey Adianov, Lyubov Ubushieva, Evgeny Sangadzhiev.
When was The Gulls released and how long is it?
The Gulls was released in 2015 with a total runtime of 1h 27m.
Who composed the musical score for The Gulls?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Gulls was composed by Anton Silaev.




















