Nelyubov

Boris has entered into a new relationship with a younger woman, whilst Zhenya already has a wealthy suitor who appears keen on marriage. Both parents have little time for their son, though this soon changes when he vanishes. The police are of little assistance and can only recommend turning to an NGO for help. Eventually the mutilated body of a child is discovered. All the while TV images of the war in the Donbass are present in the background, offering a mixture of patriotism and the myth of victimhood.

A razor-sharp, psychologically astute film on two parents who have forgotten how to take care of their child and a society whose institutions are unable to offer support, despite the many promises to the contrary. Subtle social criticism from director Andrey Zvyagintsev can be discerned behind the moments of meticulous observation. Having already won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, the film was recently nominated as Russia's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. MM