The first Soviet sexologist is sent to the gulag and is haunted by stories of fellow inmates. They provide unforgettable vignettes of Soviet sexual brutality, from the utopian ideals of the 1920s, to gay life in the 1930s, the rape of women by those in power, and the use of sexpionage to entrap enemies of the State. A visually compelling exploration of how totalitarianism ultimately destroys all forms of human intimacy. Part 1 of the trilogy "Sex in the Soviet Union."
Set amidst stunning Ukrainian winter landscapes, vanishing villages and emerging feeling of alienation between people in a post-Soviet society, Stepne is a story of a mature man who comes back home from the city to take care of his dying mother. The mother’s passing, together with a meeting with his brother and a woman he loves make him reflect on the life he’s had and choices he’s made along the way. And then, just before her death, the mother tells Anatolii about a treasure she has buried inside the shed…
"Mom!" says Yegor, looking for support. His parents Kolya and Anya don't pay attention to him. They are busy packing soviet junk and are going to finally take it out of the apartment to the summer cottage. Children are quarreling. The younger Yegor stole from the older Sofia a candy. But parents don't see the problem until they have to step over the threshold of morality.