Raisa Sazonova

Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears

Living together in a workers' dorm, Katerina and her friends are determined to make it in Moscow. But when a boorish cameraman forces himself on her, Katerina finds herself pregnant and alone as her friends move on. Twenty years later, Katerina is a factory director, outpacing her old roommates career-wise, yet still alone but for her daughter. Love seems possible again when she meets a genial mechanic.

Happy Birthday!

Blending dramatic situations with a documentary-influenced visual style, Happy Birthday looks in at a typical day in a Russian maternity hospital. The patients range from a middle aged woman pleased if surprised by her current pregnancy to a Muslim woman whose marriage to a Russian has blighted her relationship with her family. No matter what their situations, the women draw strength and support from each other as they share their common experience.

Kin

The story follows Maria Konovalova who travels from her rural village to visit her daughter Nina in the city. Maria's arrival exposes the stark contrasts between rural and urban lifestyles and reveals deep-seated family tensions. Interestingly, Родня (Rodnya) in Russian sounds very similar to the word Родина (Rodina), which means "Motherland." The film features three generations of women — Maria, her daughter Nina, and her granddaughter Irina — symbolizing three different Russias: one from the past, one modern, and one representing the future.

The Night

To get rid of the racketeers waiting at the exit of the hotel, the prostitute cleverly puts on a show with dressing up and very successfully finds an escort...

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1000 Dollars One Way

It would seem that nothing is keeping the main character in Ivanovsk, especially since her sister Tamarka has settled well in Chicago and has been calling her for a long time. But she doesn’t go to America and doesn’t even want to.

Tale of the Moon Outstanding

The legendary commander of the Civil War, the winner of Wrangel arrives in the capital at the call of Stalin. In the capital, he is perplexed to learn that the Politburo at a special meeting decided to force him to operate on a long-standing ulcer. The attending physician is convinced that the operation is not needed, but, obeying party discipline, the old Bolshevik lies on the operating table.

Mermaid

The fanciful tale of an introverted little girl who grows up believing she has the power to make wishes come true. She must reconcile this belief with reality when, as a young woman, she journeys to Moscow and grapples with love, modernity and materialism.