VelikyNovgorod,1987.Olgamakesastandagainstherteacher’sauthoritarianteachingmethods,Andreyispropagatingan‘anti-deathpill’inajamjarandKatyaobservesherfatherdistillingboozeillegallybehindcloseddoors.Thesethreeyoungschoolmatesareallmembersofthe‘VladimirIllyichLenin’YoungPioneerorganisationandarefullofchildlikevisionsofthefuture.Overtwenty-fiveyearson,allthreehavenowestablishedthemselvesprofessionallyinMoscow,andyettheyhavenotreallyfoundtheirbearingsinpresentdayRussia.Olgasuffersfrompanicattacks,Andreytriestofillhisinnervoidwithcomputergames,andKatyaispursuedbyunsettlingdreams.Movingpoeticallybetweenpastandpresent,NataliaKudryashovashowsthegulfbetweenthevisionsofyesteryearandtoday’srealitywhichthedissolutionoftheSovietUnionhasleftbehindforitsfinalgenerationofYoungPioneers.Impressivelydenseandatmosphericimagesdescribetheirattitudestowardslife.Derelictconcretebuildings,imposingandKafkaesque,giveshapetotheoppressiveshadowsoftheiroriginaldreamsthatnowthreatentoengulfthem.berlinale2015
