Azerbaijan, 2025, 101 min., English and Russian with English and Bulgarian subtitles, dir. Rena Effendi
Rena Effendi, a photographer, journeys through the mountainous borderlands between Azerbaijan and Armenia in search of Satyrus effendi, a rare butterfly named after her late father, an elusive Soviet entomologist. As she retraces his paths through a war-scarred landscape, she confronts his absence and legacy, finding a fragile connection between memory, loss, and the natural world.
Screenwriter: Rena Effendi
DOP: Mikhail Galustov/Evgeny Rodin
Music: Stephen Barden
Production: Rena Effendi, Lana Slezic, Matt Fletcher
Director’s Biography:
Rena Effendi is a documentary photographer and filmmaker with over two decades of experience, known for her humanistic storytelling. A Prince Claus Fund laureate and Prix Pictet finalist, she has exhibited at MoMA, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Venice Biennale. A National Geographic Explorer, her debut feature Searching for Satyrus won Best Documentary Feature at the Austin Film Festival in 2025.