Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Kseniya Kutepova | ... | Natalia | |
Dmitriy Dyuzhev | ... | Sergei | |
Evgeniy Knyazev | ... | Priest | |
Anna Mikhalkova | ... | Klavdiya | |
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Vadim Afanasev | ... | Natalia's husband |
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Sofya Dudarchik | ... | Olga |
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Olga Popova | ... | Paramedic |
Timofey Tribuntsev | ... | Ment | |
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Aleksandr Oblasov | ... | Security guard |
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Boris Petrov | ... | Gleb |
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Natalia Draychik | ... | Cook |
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Maksim Zimin | ... | Grigori |
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Tamara Khlebnikova | ... | Conductor |
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Polina Nechitajlo | ... | Bride |
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V. Rassokhin | ... | Groom (as Vladislav Rassokhin) |
Hatalie was 16, living in a foster home, when she was bought by a rough and unstable man. They lived at a remote station, and their loveless marriage lasted 19 years, until he died. Now free, Natalie is discovering her first love when she meets Sergei. Written by Steve Shelokhonov
This was the best of 12 films I saw at the 2007 Warsaw film festival. If you liked 'Euforia' or 'The Return', you'll love this. A woman is stuck in the middle of nowhere in the middle of Russia, living in a shack by a railway line. Her husband dies and all she has are a few animals for company and a guy she gets a lift to the mortuary with. She must learn to live on her own and decide her life for herself. While it may sound simplistic, the film is very lyrical and very moving, with some very funny moments and moments of sheer pathos. Cinematography is great, acting too and the overall atmosphere is almost haunting. Well worth an hour and a half of your time.