Simple Things

Colour, 35 mm
Russia, 2006, 108 min
IP – International premiere
Section: Official Selection - Competition

Synopsis

Sergei Maslov is a badly paid hospital anaesthetist. He is being worn down by his wretched accommodation which he shares with a Georgian driver and an infirm old woman. To make matters worse, he loses his driving licence and has to cope suddenly with his daughter leaving home. He is only slightly placated by the income he gets for caring privately for an aging actor. Having only just gained his trust, his famous patient starts overburdening him with his senile whims. Maslov is concerned about his daughter’s future. The crisis comes to a head when the actor makes him an enticing offer. He intends bequeathing to him a valuable painting. A great deal of time passes before Maslov realises the significance of the “uneasy lightness of being”... This essentially optimistic story highlights the bleak side of the daily life of ordinary people, in particular, their ability to adapt themselves when faced with unpleasant dilemmas.

About the director

Alexey Popogrebsky (b. 1972) studied psychology at Moscow State University; during his studies, he teamed up with Boris Khlebnikov to make the short film Passing By (Mimokhod, 1994). A few years later they both debuted with the original film Koktebel (2003), which won the Silver St George award at the Moscow IFF and the Philip Morris Award Jury Prize at the Karlovy Vary IFF in 2003 (section East of the West), and was screened to critical acclaim at numerous other international festivals. He completed his independent debut Simple Things in 2006.