Zhizn

Arman is in the business of digitizing and perfecting memories for people to use in the afterlife. Since Arman can't even satisfy his own or his wife's demands in real life, he falls far short of what clients are demanding for eternity. Arman's boss, a mobster, threatens to bury him alive unless he improves his output, and when Arman inevitably falls short of this goal, he descends into a death spiral of borrowed, half-baked memories and nightmares from his clients.

This profound, cerebral, deep, prolonged, and bizarre vision of the future demands full attention. The director was a no-show for the world premiere of his film at the Toronto International Film Festival and it is understandable given how much time is needed to digest the product of his imagination. He encourages us to enjoy what is real, to give our hearts rather than fill our palms, and love life so that it will love us back. An open heart opens all doors in life.