Story

In 1946, a group of Russian ex-patriots who had fled to France during WWII returned to Russia. Among the group are Alexei Golovin (Oleg Menshikov), his beautiful French wife, Marie (Sandrine Bonnaire) and young son, Seryozha. As a doctor, Alexei is needed in the rebuilding of his country, and is thus allowed to live; his fellow travelers are executed or imprisoned. Living in squalid circumstances and under constant scrutiny by government officials, Alexei reluctantly adapts; Marie cannot and begins to plot ways to escape.

Actors

Bonnaire (a Jessica Lange quality) and Menshikov are flawless. No actor in the cast hits a false note, allowing viewers to be completely absorbed into life in postwar Russia.

Messages

Courage
Marie's desire to be free overcomes her constant state of terror even through menacing interrogations, torture and imprisonment. She always remembers France and her family and never loses her focus on escaping the Russian police state. As she tells her young son, "travelers must have strength and courage… every prison has a way out." No risk is too big to take. Even death is more acceptable than life without hope, privacy, the joys of spontaneity, and without an experience of one's true self. While we may never begin to feel the terror that Marie experiences, it is a compelling message that any human being may, if so tested, be able to survive with strength, courage and dignity.

Nature of Police State
This powerful experiential film makes it possible to lose oneself as an observer and begin to "live" as a citizen of a police state - thankfully, for only two hours! You begin to feel what life is about in any system without the rule of law; where life and death are determined by the whim of the powerful; where terror is constant; where turning in your neighbor becomes possible to obtain an illusive sense of safety, if even for a moment. A police state will give birth to the darkest parts of human nature and, as seen in the characters of Marie, Sasha, and Gabrielle, a strength of character, courage and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of others. In Golovin's final solution, a mere man becomes a tragic hero… and smiles.

Tips
Watch for other messages about the nature of loyalty, forgiveness, a mother's love for her child, sacrifice - all of which are grist for discussion. Also, notice the "feel" of sets and locations - so real and disturbing that you should observe closely if interested in those details of film making. Finally, bring your tissues. This film is everything but fun.

Submitted by Kay