Assa

The film is just fine to shoot. Conveys the spirit of those years and immerses in the atmosphere of the late 80s. The emphasis was placed on the contact of two different worlds, two different generations. On one side is a criminal authority, a person who is well versed in this world, with a firm hand. And on the other side, a young informal guy who sings on stage, lives in his own world. And in the middle is a beautiful girl, Alika.

The Acca film Festival legalized Russian rock and roll - not so much sound as "all this": men's earrings, communication tubes, lighters dancing in the dark, the maxim "the main thing is to feel sighted" and the whole countercultural show-off, without which rock becomes just highly paid music.

I can hardly believe that this incredible film, directed by Sergey Solovyov, was produced by the Soviet state film agency MosFilm! Set against the backdrop of the decaying seaside town of Yalta...

This film is truly a cult classic... a countercultural anthem that reflects significant sociopolitical shifts in a country undergoing profound change. Back in 1987, writer-director Sergei Solovyov and co-writer Sergei Livnev's bold and experimental rock-crime film "Chernukha" Assa or ACCA played a pivotal role in bringing the Soviet underground rock scene and the Perestroika film movement into the public eye. It's also notable for being one of the few films featuring the legendary Russian rock artist Viktor Tsoi, and it quickly became a symbol of protest, with its emotional resonance still felt by film and music enthusiasts today.

The film opens with an underground Russian rock concert in Yalta, where we meet the curious and open-minded Bananan (Sergei "Afrika" Bugaev), who plays one of the drummers. The acting is phenomenal - the chemistry between Bananan and Alika (Tatyana Drubich) is palpable. Her "boyfriend" Krymov (Stanislav Govorukhin), an intellectual who secretly leads a criminal organization under the watchful eyes of clueless KGB agents, is oblivious to their growing bond. As Alika and Bananan develop a close friendship that flirts with romance, introducing her to the world of Soviet counterculture, the tension builds!

Enough said... just watch it! No words can do this film a favour... it is above the description.

"Assa" was a film that I was eagerly waiting to see after all the positive reviews. It is an important film as it represents the changes within Russia on the choice of subjects to film. It is a brave film for its time. One of the major characters in the film is an admirer of the music of Nick Cave, at a time when few would have known who he was.

But the film has a major problem. The director introduces a strange fact that Noah of the Bible uttered the word Assa after the floods receded--and there is no such evidence in the scriptures.

Assa is considered one of the greatest films of the post Soviet generation. The soundtrack is not very far from what we call hipster nowadays - divergence from the mainstream. There are many underground musicians that either contributed musically or artistically. Also, it focuses on a major issue that existed among the "perestroika youth". How to choose a life of honesty and civility, when corruption promises "white mountains". Who can we trust if not our government? What will be the future, what is important in a life? These are all the questions that this movie focuses on.

Assa is a film for and by the youth and by the counter culture of its time. Aside from relevant problems being raised in the movie (a rare thing of its time), the film has notable music (that is still remembered and loved today by the grown up counterculture) and hipster style that existed and lived in Soviet Union before it became popular in US.

If pre-perestroika and the mindset of different people during that time interests you, as well as learning about non-mainstream music and counterculture, this is the movie for you.

Slow burn but worth the payoff. Simultaneously a gangster movie, love triangle relationship based drama, action thiller and arthouse project, the drama and intensity of the second half of the film combined with the fittingly moody and iconic soundtrack by Aquarium make this not only a thoroughly enjoyable action film, but also a masterpiece of cinematography and art. Perfectly finished with a cameo by rock legend Viktor Tsoi, the only complaint I have of this film is that I wish Tsoi had had a larger role.

Wonderful film, and a perfect depiction of the gritty, yet idealistic and romantic reality of life during Perestroika for the youth.