Vladimir Bitokov

Academic work of 4th courses of training of Kabardino-Balkarian State University (Alexander Sokurov's workshop).

Diploma work of the Kabardino-Balkar State University (Alexander Sokurov's workshop)

1998, Nalchik. A Jewish family is in trouble: the youngest son and his bride do not come home, and in the morning, a ransom note arrives. The ransom is so high that the family is forced not only to sell its small business, but also to seek help from its fellow tribesmen.

A modest teacher of ancient literature, Andrey, accidentally witnesses a bank robbery. This is how he meets Sergey, who introduces himself as the head of the security service. The sudden friendship of two opposites will trigger a whole series of sudden, tragicomic and strange events, thanks to which Andrey will learn much more about himself and get acquainted with his dark self.

The youngest son returns home to help his father and brothers meet the targets for a profitable order on cut wood. During his absence nothing has changed: the same back-breaking toil for the sake of a piece of bread, the same resistance from the neighbouring settlement, the same inability of the family members to express their love and understanding for their kin. And the river, which may rise at any time and wash away the parental home that stands on its banks.

The youngest son returns home to help his father and brothers meet the targets for a profitable order on cut wood. During his absence nothing has changed: the same back-breaking toil for the sake of a piece of bread, the same resistance from the neighbouring settlement, the same inability of the family members to express their love and understanding for their kin. And the river, which may rise at any time and wash away the parental home that stands on its banks.

For the first time in a long time, the family gathers together to congratulate mom on her birthday, but the old conflict between the two brothers leads to irreparable consequences.

For the first time in a long time, the family gathers together to congratulate mom on her birthday, but the old conflict between the two brothers leads to irreparable consequences.

Vadim Artyukhov, deputy mayor of the provincial town of Karatovsk, is used to solving everyone's problems. He's exhausted: everyone constantly wants something from him, and he has no time to consider what he wants. Artyukhov faces a difficult choice: continue his usual career as a civil servant, maintaining his relationship with his wife, who could eventually lead him to the mayoral post, or take a risk and start a completely different life, one he's long been afraid to even dream of, but one that the progressive and highly honest scientist Slivyankina is pushing him toward. His own mistakes and the need to make honest decisions become his most difficult test. Putting off the decision becomes impossible: the sudden threat of a universal apocalypse arises. Local astronomer Udodov records an object hurtling toward Earth. The authorities secretly build a bunker, and Artyukhov struggles to save the townspeople and finally decide what kind of person he wants to be.

Tonya is a bus-driver in a village on the outskirts of Nalchik, a modest city in the republic of Kabardino-Balkaria. Together with her daughter, Tonya is eagerly awaiting the return of her only son, who is fighting for a Russian private military contractor in Syria. When Tonya is told that he has been killed in action, she refuses to believe it. She is sure that there was a mistake and her son is alive. She begins a grueling public battle with the contractor and the authorities, demanding the return of her son. When it becomes obvious that all efforts to silence Tonya are fruitless, a strange young man arrives on her doorstep...