PLAGUE

Ivan, a single father raising a teenage boy, can't seem to keep from getting pushed around by the other inhabitants of his village in the Republic of Sakha – whether it's getting cheated out of the agreed-upon full price he's owed for a boat he built, or putting up with derogatory remarks without defending himself on other occasions. His son Taras gradually begins to lose any respect for him. The situation escalates when Ivan's new boat, which represents financial security, is set on fire. Fingers are pointed and a fight breaks out between him and Vlad, another single dad, who ends up overpowering him, awakening Taras' interest in a new attachment figure. From this point on, Taras visits Vlad and his son on a daily basis, initially helping them at work, with great enthusiasm, before eventually moving in with them permanently. Step by step, he establishes a sort of dominance over Vlad's own son, until he ultimately becomes the favourite child in the household. In long, calm, minimalistic black-and-white shots, director Dmitrii Davydov explores the crushing power dynamics his compelling narrative lays bare.