June 4, 2026
CXXII — Yan Bokhanovich
Yan is a director from Saint Petersburg, Russia, based in Los Angeles, working across music videos, fashion, and narrative short films.

Below are Yan’s SELECTS:

Film
Taxi 2 by Gérard Krawczyk
2000

‘Taxi 1–4’ were a huge part of my childhood. More than the action and car chases, I loved the world and the feeling those films created. They had a warmth, humour, and energy that always made me want to return.

Film
Brother 2 by Alexey Balabanov
2000

‘Brother 1-2’ feel like a window into the youth of my parents’ generation. The streets, the people, the atmosphere, the music, it all feels very real to me. Sometimes it feels less like films and more like a memory from a time that is gone.

Video Game
INSIDE by Playdead
2016

‘INSIDE’ completely changed the way I look at atmosphere and visual storytelling. There is a feeling in that world I still think about to this day. It is one of the most striking and haunting experiences I have had.

Music Video
‘Chum’ Earl Sweatshirt by Hiro Murai
2013

‘Chum’ is one of my favourite examples of getting creative with minimal setups. Nothing feels excessive, yet it adds so much to the song. It feels like the video and music become one thing.

Film
Snatch by Guy Ritchie
2000

Guy Ritchie has always been one of my favourite directors, and ‘Snatch’ is one of the reasons why. It is chaotic, funny, full of unforgettable characters, and somehow always feels perfectly controlled.

Film
The Matrix by The Wachowskis
1999

I sometimes make decisions on projects, an image, a movement, a feeling I’m chasing, and only later realise it came from this film. ‘The Matrix’ lives somewhere in my unconscious.

Film
Ocean’s Eleven by Steven Soderbergh
2001

I have always been fascinated by the fact that Soderbergh directed and shot this film himself. Together with ‘Twelve’ and ‘Thirteen’, it remains one of my favourite trilogies. Everything feels right and exactly where it should be. And despite such a large cast, every character feels alive. The dialogue scenes are some of my favourites.

Film
Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki
2001

The most beautiful thing I have ever seen. The colours, compositions, characters and world Miyazaki created feel unlike anything else to me. I still have not found another film or animation that gives me the same feeling.

Series
Breaking Bad by Vince Gilligan
2008

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve rewatched the entire show. At this point I know it by heart, and the characters feel like family to me.

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