Varvara's Day

Directed by Bolotbek Shamshiyev, the movie shows Kyrgyzstan under early Soviet rule; and tells us about opium contrabanda across the border.

The film is dedicated to the first builders of the Leningrad metro, who began their work before the war, survived the blockade and in 1955 delivered the first stage to the city.

A film anthology featuring three stories: 1) “The Capron Christmas Tree” - Two men and a city dandy, courting a village girl, return home on New Year’s Eve, with the dandy’s nylon Christmas tree gift offending the men. 2) “A Ticket for the Second Showing” - Timofey, an elderly village swindler, regrets his life and prays to Saint Nicholas for a second chance. 3) “The Version” - A rural braggart recounts his city adventure with a restaurant manager, challenging disbelievers to join him on a repeat trip.

The thirst for a miracle lives in every person. The hero of the film, Fedor, witnesses an accident, as a result of which people close to him die. He decides that he was not saved by chance and now must change his life. Fedor is trying to live the way Orthodox hermits lived, tormenting himself with prayers and fasts. In this new world, he finds a guide - Father Hilarion. The hermit finally has hope that he will soon become an eyewitness of Revelation. But Father Hilarion is being killed absurdly and senselessly. Having experienced deep despair, Fedor will return to the people, experience love and jealousy, hatred and fear. And only when he reaches the edge - having decided to kill - will he become a witness of a miracle...

The movie-almanac consists of three novellas dedicated to the song. "Song-password". Lieutenant Marchenko is sent to the Nazi-occupied city to pass a purse with fuses to the underground scouts through the liaison. The password song helps the scouts to find each other. "Song about the mother." Working in distant Africa, pilots Igor and Victor once recorded on a tape recorder a song about his mother. Soon Igor dies during an epidemic. And Victor, in memory of his friend, gives his mother the tape they recorded. "Song at Dawn". Student Sergei dedicated to his favorite girl Valya composed by him "Song at Dawn". Valya then did not understand Sergei's feelings and married his friend. Sergei leaves. Years pass. Valya's personal life did not go well. And now she often remembers Sergei's sweet song.