USSR

In this surreal take on Pygmalion set in 1900s St. Petersburg, Russia, a time known in art as Russian Decadence, a famous artist and decorator, Platon Andreevich, strives to find the secret to eternal life through the beautiful mannequins he creates, and his latest masterpiece, more perfect in his hubristic mind than anything that God had ever created, is based on a young dying girl. However, years later, he meets the wife of a rich merchant, who looks just like the now supposedly long time dead girl he used as model for his perfect mannequin. The artist becomes obsessed with uncovering the woman’s mysterious past, which puts him in grave danger.Read More »

In 1946, the Soviet space program is undergoing turmoil. Professor Sedikh, who is planning to lead the first manned exploration to the moon, is denounced by his rival Professor Karin as being too old and too mentally unstable for the mission.

Professor Sedikh, aided by his assistant Marina and a youth named Andryusha, disregard Prof. Karin’s authority and make a successful landing on the moon. Although a few problems occur at the moon, including the discovery of a damaged oxygen tank and Professor Sedikh’s becoming trapped under a fallen boulder, the expedition is a success and the cosmonauts return to Moscow.Read More »

Victor and Natasha drive back to Moscow after a good honeymoon trip by the Black Sea. Already nearing home, Victor hits an elderly lady while driving too fast. All of a sudden, their plans for a good life together are in doubt. Victor is going to face trial, may go to prison.

To start with, the situation seems to him just ridiculous and sad. They are so young and bright. Their whole life is ahead of them. The lady that was hit by Victor was old, probably half blind and careless in the street. Surely the old lady is more to blame for her own death than Victor, isn’t she? Why did this have to happen precisely to him? Should he accept the blame for the accident and thus risk long-term prison, and the end of his career and marital prospects? Does he have to pay for it or not? Should he not escape, somehow? What is the point of self-sacrifice in such a situation? The film also shows a clash between the young and the old, the bright and the ordinary, the haves and the have nots.Read More »

Third part of the Elusive Avengers trilogy. Danya, Yasha, Ksanya and Valeri have joined the Cheka and take an active part against White Guards who have stolen an imperial crown of great value from a museum.Read More »

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Children of the old herdsman Banaya been living in the city. However, the younger son, who had come on vacation, Bakai, wants to leave in the pasture, despite the fact that the boy had become accustomed to the city and loves school.Read More »

“Red Apple” – a chronicle of a few days in a small family, a story about the difficulties of human contacts, the complexity of love. The image of red apples – strong and clear, profound and lucid. Okeyev’s “apple” bears a special meaning. Juices of the earth and sun, it is a lyrical symbol of happiness and harmony. (kyrgyzfilm.kg)Read More »

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Dovzhenko’s “film poem” style brings to life the collective experience of life for the Ukranian proles, examining natural cycles through his epic montage. He explores life, death, violence, sex, and other issues as they relate to the collective farms. An idealistic vision of the possibilities of Communism made just before Stalinism set in and the Kulack class was liquidated, “Earth” was viewed negatively by many Soviets because of its exploration of death and other dark issues that come with revolution.—Jeff WalkerRead More »

A self-pitying but popular playwright drives to Vladimir to relax with a doting female student and another writer. He’s convinced his writing is of no lasting value, but he still has an ego, about his work and his masculine appeal. He’s drawn to a museum guide he sees on his first afternoon, and when she appears at dinner, he tries charm. She reads widely, knows his work, loved it once and now finds it trivial; and she says so. He’s stung. The next day, they walk through a cemetery where she talks of a dead peasant’s poems and he grabs an idea of hers as the theme for a new play. She remains indifferent; he’s baffled. So that night he spies on her. All is revealed.Read More »

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A triangular love story evolves in a peasant family in southwestern Estonian countryside around Halliste in the beginning of 1800s over a time span of 15 years.Read More »