Evgeny Kravchenko

The story of the Podolsk cadets’ heroic stand outside Moscow in October 1941. Cadets were sent to the Ilyinsky line, fighting alongside units from the Soviet 43rd Army to hold back the German advance until reinforcements arrived. Hopelessly outnumbered, young men laid down their lives in a battle lasting almost two weeks to obstruct the far superior German forces advancing towards Moscow. Around 3,500 cadets and their commanding officers were sent to hold up the last line of defense outside Moscow. Most of them remained there for eternity.

Vadim is an ordinary office worker with no prospects, desperate to somehow change his boring life. One afternoon, while pondering his life in a pub, a mysterious bartender offers Vadik a cocktail. Upon drinking this cocktail, Vadik's world is instantly transformed beyond recognition. He is now successful, attractive and interesting. However, Vadik needs to learn how to sustain this new mirage, once the cocktails run out.

Kristina lives with Vitaly in a quiet family life, but her sarcastic world view does not coincide with Vitaly’s ideals. While she is engaged in household chores, he spends more and more time at work, and Kristina begins to suspect that this is somehow connected with the appearance of his young assistant Sonya in the office.