Archive of films Plus One / Pljus odin

Russia
2008, 96 min

Section: A Female Take on Russia
Year: 2009

Divorced thirty-something Masha, relishing her solitude as a translator, is offered an interpreting job at a seminar being given by English puppeteer Tom. Masha’s reserve and Tom’s boundless temperament soon give rise to an explosive mix which can only be quelled in a passionate embrace.

Synopsis

After a failed marriage, Masha retreats to the sanctuary of her humble profession as a translator of serious literature. Financial difficulties force her to accept an offer to interpret during a seminar held by an English puppeteer. Tom performs in front of the young Russians with a puppet which assumes the role of his better alter ego. Its witty remarks examine and correct Tom’s motives. It’s probably for this reason that the touchy Masha, determined to ignore the young man’s annoying behaviour, rises to the challenge of his interlocutor. Against her principles, and to her own surprise, she finds she enjoys the foolhardy ventures initiated by the resourceful Tom. Their mutual infatuation is however complicated by the fact that these two very different people are unable to invest enough feeling into the relationship… In this spirited love story, the director plays around with the disparity between the character and mentality of the protagonists. She pokes fun at Russian sexual complexes and the kind of self-centred unruliness found in the West, while at the same time adding colour to the plot using film-clip shots, gags and atmospheric scenes of the busy streets of contemporary Moscow.

About the director

Oksana Bychkova (b. 1972, Donetsk) graduated from the Higher Courses of Script Writers and Directors (2002). During her studies she made the short films Two Sides of Glass (Dve storony styekla, 2001) and Three Sisters (Tri sestry, 2002). Her feature film debut Piter FM (Pityer FM, 2005), about the relationship between a wacky radio presenter and a young architect, set against the poetic backdrop of St Petersburg, was not only a hit with Russian audiences, but also won a series of domestic awards. Her new film Plus One also presents a love story, which unfolds via the agitated rhythms of video clips in order to capture the oddities of love.

Contacts

Film Depot, INC.
6825 Alabama Avenue, Suite 310, CA 91303, Canoga Park
United States of America
Tel: +1 818 703 1799
Fax: +1 818 936 0091
E-mail: [email protected]

Film Company Telesto
1, Mosfilmovskaya Str., 119 991, Moscow
Russia
Tel: +7 499 143 9480
Fax: +7 499 143 9480
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.telestofilm.ru

+ 1

About the film

Color, 35 mm

Section:	A Female Take on Russia

Director:	Oksana Bychkova
Screenplay:	Nana Grinštejn / Nana Grinshtein, Oksana Byčkova / Oksana Bychkova
Dir. of Photography:	Ivan Gudkov
Editor:	Daša Danilova / Dasha Danilova
Producer:	Jelena Glikman / Elena Glikman, Jaroslav Živov / Yaroslav Zhivov
Production:	Film Company Telesto
Cast:	Madlen Džabrajlova / Madlen Dzhabrailova, Jethro Skinner, Vladimir Iljin / Vladimir Ilyin, Miroslava Karpovič / Miroslava Karpovich
Contact:	Film Depot, INC., Film Company Telesto

www:	www.plusodinfilm.ru

Guests

Oksana Bychkova

Film Director

Viktoria Gromik

Producer