
ThepictureofaseriesofseeminglyidenticalhousesunderthemistofNizhniTaguil,inthatAsianpartofRussiathatisbothbeautifulanddesolate,showsacityfrozenintimeandagroupofyoungartiststhatseemtobeinthesametune.Thereisamongthemakindofsolidaritytofaceunease–theygathertosing,danceorreflectonthefuture(orlackthereof)inthecitythatsheltersthem.Inhisfourthfeature,VadimKostrovaccompaniesthesemelancholycharactersoverthecourseofonesummer,withtheaimofexploringtheiraspirationsinacontextthatprovesunfavorabletothem.Ineachofthefilm’sscenes,allofthemtaintedwithgenuinewarmth,thedirectorconfirmshisremarkablecapabilitytoturnthatfeelingofemptinessintocinema.Orpheusis,ultimately,thefinaldepictionofyoungpeopleabouttopenetrateintothemeanderingpathtowardsadulthood.