Bells from the Deep

Faith and superstition in Russia

A meditative documentary exploring faith, legend, and the search for the sacred in Russian Orthodox tradition through pilgrims seeking a mythical sunken city.

A group of pilgrims lie down on the thin ice of the lake Svetloyar and begin to look for the city of Kitesh. According to the legend, God saved the city from the Mongolian prince Batyi's soldiers by letting it sink to the bottom of the lake. If you listen carefully you can hear the bells of the Kitesh cathedral toll deep down.