“Cardboard echo”
As her family begins to fall apart, a young girl retreats into a handmade cardboard world where everything can remain whole. But when reality becomes impossible to ignore, she must confront the limits of imagination and learn to let go of the fragile illusion she has built.
About the director
Irina Bulusheva is a filmmaker and bioinformatician based in Armenia.
She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) and earned a PhD in Physical and Mathematical Sciences in 2025. Alongside her scientific career in cancer research, she has pursued filmmaking through programs including KinoLaboratory and Invisible Friends and is currently continuing her studies in film directing.
Her debut short film, “Cardboard Echo” (2026), explores childhood memory, family rupture, and the role of imagination in coping with emotional loss. Her work is characterized by intimate storytelling, symbolic imagery, and a minimalist visual approach that transforms personal experience into a universal emotional language.