
Atatimeofsocialandemotionaldistress,directorAlexeiMizgirevpositsthatthedrivetosurvive–andsurpass–agruesomesituationwillprevail.TheyearswhenRussiawasmovingtowardamarketeconomyinthelate‘90sweredifficultones.Corruptionwasrampantandcrimewasoftentheonlyoptionformakingaliving.ThisisthemercenaryenvironmentforMizgirev’sstoryaboutYekaterina,asmalltownlibrarianlivinginadrabroomandbarelyekingoutaliving.Herdrearyexistencetakesaturnforthebetterwhenshefallsinlovewithanavyofficerandshortlythereafteriswilledanapartment.Butwhenherloverdiscoversadeceptioninherlife,heleavesherforherbestfriend,andYekaterinaseeksvengeance.Whatcouldhavebeenaconventionalrevengeromancebecomesastudyofourcollectiveabilitytoenduredespairandriseaboveit.Shotinlocationsthatlendveracitytothefilm,[Buben.Baraban]isablacklyhumoroussliceofalifeincreasinglyoutofcontrolthatavoidseasyendingsinfavorofclear-eyedinsight.





