Babnik

Running time: 81 mins

How long can you walk by the abyss without falling in?

?Babnik? is a Russian slang word for ?womanizer,? and it applies to Misha and Sasha, European entrepreneurs who seem to always be surrounded by gorgeous ladies. The problem is some of these ladies may be there against their will. As the men go about their routines photographing the beauties and providing them with clothes and clients, we realize that they are part of an underground sex ring that affects the lives of destitute girls and desperate immigrants, and where kidnapping is just one of its unsavory activities. The third picture by consistently striking Bay Area virtuoso and Cinequest favorite Alejandro Adams (Around the Bay, Canary), Babnik illustrates his arresting gifts for creating naturalistic yet intensely immersive portrayals of everyday menace. Don?t miss the new stage of this talented filmmaker?s cinematic evolution.

- Fernando Croce