Plot
In June 1946, Stalin invites the Russian exiled from the 1917 Revolution to return home. When the ships comes ashore in Odessa, the passengers are divided in two groups and one of them is executed. Among the survivors are Dr. Aleksei Golovin, his French wife Marie and their young son. Marie is accused to be a spy, her French passport is torn up and Aleksei accepts to move to Kyiv with his family to save her. They are sent to a room in a communal house and soon Marie befriends the super, an old woman who speaks French. But she is denounced and killed by the government agents. Marie feels guilty and brings her grandson Sasha Vasilyev, who will be evicted, to live in her room with her family. Marie wants to return to her family in France, but Aleksei explains that they are imprisoned in Russia. Marie tries a contact with the leftist French actress Gabrielle Develay to ask for help to leave the USSR. While Marie gets distant from her husband, she gets closer to Sacha, who is a great swimmer and the only chance to Marie contact her family.
Written by
Rustam Ibragimbekov, Sergei Bodrov, Louis Gardel
Directed by
Régis Wargnier
Crew
Production Countries
Bulgaria, France, Russia, Spain
Production Companies
UGC YM, France 3 Cinéma, NTV-Profit
Languages
Français
Awards
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 6 wins & 8 nominations total