Experiencing the Delirium of Love's Charm

World Champion

As the Red Army pulls out, a Russian soldier makes friends with a German girl.

Hut

In a small community in the Ural mountains of Russia in 1953, just after Stalin's death, Barracks begins with the arrival of Olga (Irina Senotova). Olga is alone, her entire family wiped out by a Stalinist purge in Leningrad. She is soon romanced by a militiaman named Alexei, who serves as the community liaison to the government

A Burglar

With a brother dedicated to punk rock stardom at any cost and a drunken father who chases skirt between robotic dancing lessons from the TV, young Senka stands as much chance of nurture as the hero of Truffaut's 400 Blows. The amazing thing about Ogorodnikov's film is that it was made in Russia. Clearly, plenty of Soviet teenies share the nihilistic feelings of their Western counterparts, and the extensive footage of safety-pin chic at concerts perhaps points to a sound export instinct on the director's part. Senka's brother Kostya is under pressure from Howmuch, a very heavy rocker, to steal a synthesiser from the Community Centre, so to protect him Senka steals it himself. The story occupies little more space than the music, but the performances are splendid enough to lodge Senka's predicament in the heart.

Prishvin's Paper Eyes

TV director Pavel Prishvin is filming with his friend-filmmaker, whose film talks about Stalinism

Red Sky, Black Snow

The head of the prison camp is friends with the manager, the head of a criminal gang. An evacuated woman with a child arrives in the city, and the manager falls in love with her.

Putina

There is a commotion in the small village on Lake Peipsi – the wedding is tomorrow. Masha and Ivan are young, beautiful, and everyone wants the wedding to be a success. Only everyone knows that Masha does not love Ivan, but Peter, who is serving time for poaching. He went to jail and told her, "Don't wait." But when Peter finds out that Masha is expecting a child from him, he escapes from prison and suddenly appears in his native village just before the wedding. And suddenly Masha realizes a few hours before the wedding that she will not be able to live with Ivan.