STONE OVER STONE is a powerful narrative that explores the intersecting lives of individual struggling to survive and find meaning in a rapidly modernising yet deeply divided Eastern European city. As the producer of the project, I am deeply committed to bringing this story to life because it speaks to universal themes of displacement, resilience, and the endurance of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. We have already had the privilege of co-producing Hilal Baydarov’s documentary WHEN THE PERSIMMONS GREW, which garnered significant critical acclaim, winning both the Jury and Interreligious Awards at Visions du Réel and the Heart of Sarajevo for Best International Documentary. Baydarov's recent fiction films, including IN BETWEEN DYING, which was presented in the Orizzonti programme at the Venice Film Festival, and SERMON TO THE FISH, which was selected for the competition at the Locarno Film Festival, have further established his reputation as one of the most compelling and poetic voices in contemporary cinema. Baydarov’s earlier works were created with very limited resources, yet they resonated globally. With STONE OVER STONE, our ambition is to elevate his singular vision to a new level. This time, we aim to provide the means for him to direct on a more ambitious scale, allowing for a deeper exploration of his themes while reaching a wider audience. For this project, we intend to collaborate with an international creative team in key roles—cinematography, set design, and costume design—while preserving Baydarov’s deeply personal style and his rootedness in place. The dialogue between local authenticity and global artistic excellence is central to our approach. The vision for STONE OVER STONE is to craft a film that is both visually striking and emotionally affecting. The stark contrasts between modern skyscrapers and crumbling Soviet-era buildings will serve as a visual metaphor for the collision between progress and decay, tradition and alienation. The film is structured around archetypal characters and symbolic threads reminiscent of the works of Fyodor Dostoevsky, yet it remains unmistakably Baydarov in its lyrical, non-linear narration and deeply existential tone. While the city is never named, its atmosphere—harsh, charged, and indifferent—will be essential to the storytelling. The film’s cinematography will immerse the viewer in this fragmented world through natural light, hand-held camerawork, and a local cast that embodies the rawness of lived experience. At this stage, we are focused on developing the screenplay in close collaboration with Baydarov and an experienced script advisor, with the aim of refining the narrative’s emotional depth and formal precision. This development phase is essential in laying the foundation for future international co-productions and securing the artistic integrity of the film. With STONE OVER STONE, we are confident Baydarov will deliver a bold and unforgettable cinematic work that marks a significant new chapter in his evolution as one of world cinema’s most essential voices.