Ella Sokolova

Prokopiy, a 27-year-old boy with developmental disabilities, lives with his strict mother, Maria, who keeps him locked away for his own "safety." Life goes on as usual in a remote Yakut village until Prokopiy's cheerful sister, Aiyyna, arrives next door. She gives him warmth, attention, and a sense of "normality," and a simple, pure friendship blossoms between them, which becomes a revelation for the boy. Aiyyna leads him out of his locked room, takes him on a sleigh ride to a party, and for the first time makes him feel part of the outside world. But the closer Prokopiy gets to freedom, the more conflicts he has with his mother, who fears losing control and may not be able to protect her son from the pain society can inflict on him. A touching, harsh, and poetic coming-of-age story about a man who emerges from the safety of a locked world to an ambiguous freedom.

A teacher at a Yakut music school must make a choice between a sacred song from the dark past and love that heralds a bright future.