A story about Konstantin Sergeievich Stanislavski, a twentieth-century theatre genius. Owing to his powerful extraordinary talent he managed to stay a true artist and a free spirit within the harsh Soviet system. In the film contemporary theater and film directors (Kirill Serebrennikov, Katie Mitchell, Lev Dodin and others) show how Stanislavski's method affects their everyday work. Each of the directors finds his or her own reflection in the mirror of his genius. In search of an answer to the question whether modern theatre really needs Stanislavski they discover that art lacks its most essential part – the human being.
The matriarchal clan led by gorgeous Margarita enters a turbulent period when her son loses his beloved fiancée. Using the structure of a repetitive ritual, the action spans years but takes place mostly during the annual gatherings of Margarita's extraordinary family in their mansion on New Year's Eve. Margarita believes in the magical 13th hour that can break the eternal circle of repetition, defeat death and bring her much-awaited love.
His motto was laconic: "I promised - stay still." This is how Alexei Balabanov lived, raised his sons, was friends, and so filmed. A legendary director and an extraordinary person who made both "festival" and "mass" films with equal ease. He was a great father and a difficult husband, a loyal friend and an honest guy. Balabanov with his life, passions, losses, burning pain on the way to God in the memories of those closest to him - mother, sons, wife and friends. He seems to be telling the crew again: "Let's do it talentedly!"
Renata Muratovna Litvinova - Soviet and Russian theater and film actress, film director, screenwriter, TV presenter, singer. Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, laureate of the State Prize of Russia, two-time laureate of the open Russian film festival Kinotavr.