Despite the Falling Snow
Director's Journal – A Special February Series!
Bringing a story to life on screen is always an adventure, but adapting my novel, Despite the Falling Snow, was especially personal, even though it is less clearly based on my own personal experience (even though I may have overly kept tabs on my kids when they were little, I was still never an actual Soviet spy).
What was personal was that this was not just a journey of transforming words into images, but an emotional process of revisiting themes that have shaped much of my creative work—identity, love, and the courage to question the frameworks of belief we are all raised with one way or another. Is a political belief meant to be unshakeable or should it be closely questioned. It’s an extremely relevant question in today’s world, where nationalism, religious superiority of all kinds, and a focus on taking what we need versus treating our neighbours and fellow humans as just that - human - is being encouraged by leaders who have found an easy route to take power.
Set against the complex and fraught backdrop of Cold War Moscow, Despite the Falling Snow is a story of espionage, love, and betrayal, and about the choices we make when faced with impossible circumstances. Deciding how to merge integrity and survival. Again, far too relevant in today’s world as well. Bringing this intricate tale to the screen was both thrilling and challenging, as I wanted to stay relatively true to my own novel’s core themes (without being slavish to the plot, which changed quite a bit in the film). And capturing the tension and beauty of its period setting was so crucial too.
With the help of a brilliant cast—including Rebecca Ferguson in a striking dual role and the legendary Charles Dance—we crafted a film that I hope resonates as deeply with you as the story does with me.
Director’s Journal
This February, I’m launching Director’s Journal—a special series that takes you behind the scenes of Despite the Falling Snow. Throughout the month, I’ll share an intimate look at the filmmaking process, revealing insights and stories you won’t find anywhere else.
Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming up:
🎬 Production Challenges
What does it take to recreate 1950s Moscow on screen? I’ll take you through how we handled the tricky winter scenes, the creative tricks we used, and some of the unexpected hurdles we faced.
📖 Adapting the Novel
The journey from page to screen was filled with tough decisions. In this section, I’ll share the changes that were made and how we brought the book’s spirit to life on film.
🎭 Untold Stories with the Cast
Ever wondered what it was like working with Rebecca Ferguson, Sam Reid, Charles Dance, and more? I’ll share exclusive, behind-the-scenes moments and stories that didn’t make it to the final cut.
Win a Signed Copy of Despite the Falling Snow!
To celebrate this exclusive series, I’m giving away three signed copies of Despite the Falling Snow! Here’s how you can enter:
Paid Subscribers: You’re automatically entered to win one of two signed copies.
Free Subscribers: Want to win? Simply share what excites you most about Despite the Falling Snow in the comments below. One lucky winner will be chosen from the responses.
Winners will be announced at the end of the month here on Substack—good luck!
Want more? You can find additional Despite the Falling Snow content on our Instagram and Facebook pages—follow along for exclusive posts and behind-the-scenes moments!
With love and gratitude,
Shamim Sarif
As a paid subscriber, you’ll get access to:
Exclusive content and behind-the-scenes insights
Competitions and prize draws, including:
Signed books from Shamim’s collection: I Can’t Think Straight, The World Unseen, Despite the Falling Snow, The Athena Protocol, The Shadow Mission
Signed Cast & Crew Hardback Book from Despite the Falling Snow
Exclusive Movie Memorabilia