White Snail: An Unscripted Love Story of Vulnerability and Connection in Belarus

A Unique Love Story Starts Where You’d Least Expect It — At a Morgue in Belarus

It’s not every day you hear someone say their film journey began with a visit to a morgue in Belarus. Honestly, who starts an article like that? But that’s exactly how the new indie film White Snail found its roots. Directed by the duo Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter, the movie made its world premiere at the prestigious 78th Locarno Film Festival, and it’s anything but ordinary.

At its core, White Snail tells a tender, fragile love story — but with a twist that dives deep into themes of mortality, identity, and belonging. The plot centers on a Belarusian model named Masha, played by Marya Imbro, who dreams of making it big in China. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she crosses paths with Misha (Mikhail Senkov), a solitary guy who works the night shift at a morgue. Their meeting is far from typical, shaking Masha’s views on her body, beauty, and what it means to live and die.

Here’s a little teaser from the official synopsis:
A Belarusian model chasing a future in China finds herself drawn to a mysterious loner at a morgue. Their encounter challenges everything she knows about herself and opens a window to a world of outsider love and discovery.

But this film is more than just a story about two young people falling for each other. Kremser and Peter describe it as a moment of defiance against the stigma and exclusion faced by many in Belarus today — a snapshot of youth caught between uncertain futures and the haze of sultry summer nights. You can almost feel the tension simmering beneath the surface.

From Real Life to Reel: How White Snail Came to Be

What makes White Snail especially captivating is its deeply personal and organic origins. Ten years ago, Elsa Kremser met Mikhail Senkov—not as an actor, but as an artist—at the Minsk Film Festival. That encounter turned out to be the seed for the film’s unique vibe.

Senkov invited Kremser and Peter to visit the morgue where he worked. "For the first time in my life, I saw a dead body," Kremser recalls. Just imagine: a morgue visit leaving such a mark that it would eventually inspire a movie. But the story doesn’t end there. Shortly after, Senkov showed them his apartment, which was a gallery of massive paintings—one of which depicted a girl who survived a suicide attempt. That raw, real-life piece of art echoed the film’s themes of vulnerability and survival.

Levin Peter shared his fascination with this encounter. "I wanted to see the world from his eyes," he said. "To understand the perspective of someone who lives on the margins, yet carries such intense stories." It was clear to both directors that this man’s life and art could fuel something very special.

Casting Real Life, Not Actors

The casting process was just as unconventional. Instead of going through the usual audition grind, the directors scoured social media and local scenes in Belarus looking for someone who could bring authenticity and a fresh face to the story. That’s how they found Marya Imbro, who became the character Masha.

From that moment, a new world opened up for the filmmakers. "Spending time with Masha and Misha, seeing their day-to-day lives, the people around them — it gave us so much to work with," Peter explained. "Their stories shaped the script."

And that’s an important detail: the movie doesn’t follow a traditional script. In fact, there isn’t one. Every line, every conversation between Masha and Misha on screen is improvised. Their chemistry is completely genuine because the actors themselves were meeting for the first time during the shoot. It’s like watching real life unfold right in front of your eyes.

The Challenges Behind the Scenes

Putting together a film like this wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. Producer David Bohun explained how tricky it was just to get into Belarus for filming, especially with no direct flights and complex border procedures. “We had to drive for hours, sometimes 18 hours total due to all the stops and checks. It was a logistical nightmare," Bohun admitted. "We had backup plans for everything—Plan A, B, and C."

And yet, those difficulties only seem to add layers of meaning to the story. The physical and emotional distances the characters traverse reflect the real-life challenges of making a film in a politically and geographically tough environment.

What’s in a Name? The Meaning Behind “White Snail”

Ever wonder why the film is called White Snail? The title came late in the process but has a meaningful backstory. Kremser shared that it was inspired by a real-life detail from Masha’s own experiences. Her mother used to buy snails for skincare treatments — yes, literal snail mucus as a beauty product, just like in the movie. Masha even tried it herself once, though she didn’t like it much.

Peter added, "Snails are so fragile and vulnerable, but the white snail especially so. It felt like the perfect metaphor for the characters’ delicate state of being."

The On-Screen Chemistry: First Impressions Matter

What about the chemistry between the two leads? Their first meeting was almost awkwardly brief. "I just blinked," Imbro said with a laugh. Senkov recalled, "We barely talked. We just looked at each other and somehow realized we were very different but had something deep in common."

That instant understanding between two very different people is exactly the heart of the film.

The Emotional Toll of Portraying Themselves

For Mikhail Senkov, playing a version of himself was surprisingly easy. "There’s nothing in the story that isn’t me," he said plainly. "So, it didn’t take any extra courage."

For Marya Imbro, it was a whole different ballgame. "Showing myself so openly on camera was tough," she admitted. "In daily life, I keep my emotions under wraps. Here, I had to trust the process and reveal my true self. That took a lot of energy."

Why You Should Keep an Eye on White Snail

This isn’t your typical indie romance. It’s raw, vulnerable, and unapologetically honest. Through its improvised dialogue, real locations, and intimate performances, White Snail offers a rare glimpse into a slice of life that’s often overlooked.

The film’s setting in Belarus, the behind-the-scenes struggles, and the authentic performances combine to create something that feels less like a movie and more like a lived experience. It challenges our ideas about beauty, death, love, and the quiet battles people fight every day.

To sum it up:

• White Snail is a poetic love story born from a chance morgue visit and years of real-life connections.

• The film features two newcomers who portray versions of themselves, improvising every scene.

• The directors deliberately avoided a traditional script to preserve authenticity.

• Overcoming logistical hurdles in Belarus added a layer of grit and realism.

• The title symbolizes vulnerability and the fragile nature of human connection.

• The movie offers a fresh, intimate look into life in Belarus and the human condition.

If you’re a fan of films that blur the lines between documentary and drama, and stories that explore the quiet, often unseen struggles of youth, White Snail is definitely one to watch.