Syostry

Syostry is a melancholic and touching movie, which gets quite close to the new Russian reality. The reality where a teenager girl dreams of becoming whether a sniper in Chechnya or a bodyguard for a new Russian (gangster).

Oksana Akinshina, who plays the older sister, has something inevitably tragic in her appearance (watch Lilja 4-ever by Lukas Moodysson). She reminded me Jean Seberg form the J.-L. Godard's Breathless and Juliette Biinoche from the L. Carax' Les Amants du Pont-Neuf. This movie is the second and last film shot by Sergei Bodrov Jr., who got a cult status (just like Victor Tsoy whose music he had used in Syostry), when he was reported missing in 2002 after the avalanche accident.

This movie have some of the most thrilling heart touching moments you can imagine.

Balcony scene is like combo of what people from ex-comecon countries experienced in early 90's combined with animal selfpreserving instinct,

A film that no longer conveys anything to the public.

I think this is a very good movie because it expresses the soul of Russia, the way I'm imagining Russia. There are not very long dialogs in the film, only very short and pointed conversations between people exists. Furthermore people very rarely laugh, the mood seems to be authentic Russian, with a little bit depression in it all the time.

The shots Sergej Budrov makes are also excellent, they are very impressive and get you in something like a state of trance. The acting is also good, from the cool Russian Mafia gangster to the two young sisters all actors play their roles convincing and no one is overacting.

So if you have about an hour time, go watch this fine Russian movie.

• In remembrance of Sergej Budrov -

I really enjoyed this film. The story of two half sisters on the run from a crew of gangster kidnappers who must survive, bond and finally live one day at a time. I only wish American films were this meditative and watchable.