Leto

Leto is one of these rare movies that know how to talk to your heart, to open it up and awaken all the dreams you ever thought of. Leto is a little jewel, the one in which resides such powerful, impacting strength but also a beauty that you can only admire.

The movie puts us in the underground rock scene of late Soviet Union. It sets itself in a climate where change is asked but also felt, the times of the Perestroika. But yet control over culture is really strong. The way youth wants to express itself, by the music they listen to and make (music inspired in many occidental rock groups) is only limited to abandoned warehouses where access is restricted, under control of the regime's police. This creative climate is always contained, but never feels oppressive for the viewer nor for the characters that actually act with great liberty. And this is particularly thanks to Serebrennikov's directing. He uses all cinema's artifices, pushes the limits of staging to create his own universe. The black and white creates an atmosphere of such simplicity, yet full of possibilities. The adopted view expresses how all the characters and all the legends that forged this period were great dreamers at core. They had dreams, they dream all along, they tried to transmit their dreams in the frame that was imposed to them. They created a new vision, a new world. The power of youth for change is one of the great motors of this movie. But the real beauty is that the movie never falls in a pamphletarian tone, it always stays with this optimist vision that awakens the dreamer in each one of us, and encourages everyone to pursue their dreams. Although it's dealing with past, Serebrennikov's tale is still really relevant in our time, where we all absolutely need to dream and need to fulfill our dreams to escape this anxiogenous climate that reigns in our society. The movie warms your heart, gives you power and energy for change -whatever type of change it is- and that's where resides all the greatness of the movie; it is a source of light that will reheat your heart, and give you hope.

That's why I am still scandalized that it didn't win a single prize in Cannes when it is one of the movies that was really worth winning a distinction. It would of been the occasion of giving a great impulse to this creative, crazy and ambitious cinema, that throws traditional codes away and finally dares to brake rules ! It would of been the occasion to recognize the talent and vision of Serebrennikov that is, we all know, put at risk by elements that he cannot control.

So go, run to watch this hymn to youth, revolution, change, beauty and dream !

This movie has a soul. One could write about Soviet (harsh) realities, but I won't. I was surprised, when an elderly pair (looked like 70+) arrived to watch the film - even some of 50+ Russian folks would criticize what is shown (but I hope they have their right not to watch it). For a younger people, this will be a good example to have a glimpse on Soviet life of 1980s. Takes a very talented director to make the actors act like this. I've got several recalls of "Assa" (one of the best movies of late 1980s), but this has got its own charms. So, I definitely recommend this one to watch. At least, for the memory of those, whom we loved.

Who would have guessed that the feel-good movie of the year so far would be a Russian rock musical, set in the 1980's and filmed in widescreen black and white? Kirill Serebrennikov's "Leto" works on a number of levels; as a picture of a still totalitarian Russia coming to terms with influences from the West, as a good old-fashioned musical and as a picture of relationships under pressure and the fact that it looks so damned beautiful, (should all movies be in black and white?), is just the icing on the cake. Throw in some awesome tunes from the period and what's not to love. I can even imagine a shirtless Putin head-banging to this just to keep his street-cred intact. The young cast, too, are excellent; this is a first-rate ensemble piece in which even the smallest part is perfectly played. Some of the musical numbers might remind you of the Elton John biopic "Rocketman" but this knocks that out of the ballpark. Don't miss it.

This film is nothing short of an electrifying experience.

I was skeptic to begin with. This, I can tell you right off the bat, was a huge mistake. When the actual film started, I immediately forgot about anything outside the screen. It was like a time travel deluxe package. I speak as someone who is a half European, half Russian Gen Z. I never experienced the Soviet era on first hand, but the night I went to watch this film, I forgot the current year. They're writing 2019 now, you say...? Ha ha, but really. Intense and during certain points in the film, I even got chills.

If you've ever heard about "breaking the 4th wall" as a filmography term, well, get excited because this is exactly what happens a lot. The end result is that you feel like you physically *are* present, and thus incredibly difficult for you to not feel connected in some manner.

The special effects are incredible, and the relationship between black and white/colour splashes in the film is something I've hardly ever seen before. This is fantastic.

One of the points about the film which made me skeptic to begin with was the "love triangle" ordeal in the bio. "Love triangle"? I thought. "Oh my, this has been done to death already!" I was fearing Twilight-esque cliché onto cliché, but nothing like it was to be found at all. It felt humane and raw... original. Not cliché.

If you have Russian roots somehow or have studied Russian, it's hard not to enjoy this film. If you've been in the Soviet regime yourself, you might get very touched/cry because as I mentioned, strong time travel feeling in here. If you're a Russian-rooted millennial or Gen Z, there is a huge potential for you to learn a lot and feel connected to the past of Russia.

I certainly felt connected and impressed. Should you folks happen to have any second thoughts or reservations about watching this, I tell you to just let go of them because the experience is incredible. Worth my every penny :)

Portrait of the naive and censored rock culture of the last phase of the Soviet Union.