A breathtaking portrait of a civilian population in wartime, The Damned and The Sacred presents the current Chechen war through the perspective of a traditional youth dance troupe, its coach, and others in its circle. As they witness bombings and cope with checkpoints and unfamiliar soldiers, the troupe members stubbornly prepare a tour of Western Europe.

Coached and encouraged by one exceptional man, Ramzan Akhmadov, the children make their way through Europe with triumphant performances at Amsterdam's Concertgebouw and London's Lyric Theatre.

One of the tour's goals was to show that Chechens are just ordinary people. This film, however, reveals people who are anything but ordinary: talented, dedicated, and shockingly professional given both their ages and the conditions surrounding them. Featuring exciting and often thrilling dances, The Damned and The Sacred presents a group of people struggling in the most modest and non-confrontational way to declare and maintain their cultural independence.

LEARN MORE:
To inquire about purchasing the film, visit Zeppers Film & TV.
Visit the Chicago International Documentary Festival.