Summer
directed by Kirill Serebrennikov, Russia 2018, 126' (English friendly)
The summer of 1981. Leningrad lives on rock from the Western, smuggled in albums of David Bowie, Blondie, Lou Reed, T-Rex, and the Sex Pistols. Mike is a star of the underground music scene and the king of a rock club, where young people are ordered to listen to the concerts sitting down and in silence. The only place you can really let loose is behind the closed doors of a flat, during private performances. Viktor is just starting out, but he is talented, attractive, and, he writes great lyrics. These two will be connected not only by their love for music, but also for Natasha, the wise and beautiful wife of Mike. The fate of this triangle lies in the center of Summer: a film about blooming love and artistic flourishing. Kirill Serebrennikov's film was inspired by the authentic stories of the leaders of the Leningrad groups: Mike Naumenko of Zoopark and Viktor Tsoi of Kino.
Summer had its world premiere in the Main Competition of this year's IFF in Cannes. However, the director could not participate in it: while filming, he was detained by the Russian authorities and was ordered to be under house arrest during the festival. Despite serious difficulties, the film was finished, but the political and widely reported in the media proceedings against the director shook the whole world.
