Once Upon a Time in the Provinces

A small town in the provinces. A superficially predictable flow of events. Nastya, a young TV actress comes to the town to visit her sister and hide from her declining popularity. Her sister, Vera, does not seemed overjoyed with the visit, because of lingering negative feelings linked to a past conflict between Nastya and her brother-in-law. We are then shown a succession of episodes illustrating the hidden personal tensions that rule the behaviour of the town's youths, their friendship and betrayals, alcohol, violence, pointlessness and all.

Several of the characters, particularly the two sisters, are quite well developed, with an interesting psychological evolution throughout the film. Others are sketchier. In any case, an interesting study of some female and male roles in contemporary Russia. Not that all Russian towns have that atmosphere, but still…, and not just in Russia.

This film really works, and seems to achieve what it set out to. I am afraid that was not to depict the lovelier side of the country. For that, see other films.

Anyway, keep such films coming!