‘Unclenching The Fists’ Exclusive Trailer: Kira Kovalenko’s Award-Winning Drama Arrives On MUBI This Week

We’ve said it quite a bit over the past few years, but the MUBI streaming service is one of the most underrated subscription services for film fans. Up there with The Criterion Channel, MUBI is a showcase of some of the best films from around the world, featuring selections that you likely wouldn’t be able to see anywhere else. One such film is the forthcoming drama, “Unclenching the Fists.”

READ MORE: ‘Unclenching the Fists:’ A Bleak, Unflinching Russian Coming-of-Age Tale [TIFF Review]

And in honor of “Unclenching the Fists” making its debut on MUBI this week, we’re thrilled to give our readers an exclusive look at the trailer for the film. The drama tells the story of a young woman, Ada, who is stuck living in an industrial town in Russia. With dreams of something more constantly being stifled by the men in her life, including her father and younger brother, Ada plots a way to her own independence. 

The film is the sophomore feature from writer-director Kira Kovalenko. “Unclenching the Fists” made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard section in 2021, where it took home the main prize. The film was also chosen by Russia as the country’s Best International Film entry at the Oscars. 

We saw the film when it played at TIFF, and in our review, we said, “Here Kovalenko shows she has the chops to balance the off-putting with rich narratives of pathos; you could totally see her taking the leap that Kantemir Balagov took with ‘Beanpole.’ ‘Unclenching the Fists’ isn’t perfect. Rather it’s a daring and complex leap by Kovalenko.”

“Unclenching the Fists” is set to debut on MUBI on May 26. You can watch the trailer below.

Here’s the synopsis:

Ada is stuck, living in a dead-end industrial town in the North Ossetia section of Russia. Between her domineering father, obsessive younger brother, and an unrelenting suitor, she is caught in the tight grip of the many men in her life. When her older brother returns home and her father suddenly falls ill, Ada finally sees a possible path to independence. But embarking on this journey in a family marked by years of trauma is more complex than it may seem.