Elena

Synopsis: Elena and Vladimir are an older couple, they come from different backgrounds. Vladimir is a wealthy and cold man, Elena comes from a modest milieu and is a docile wife. They have met late in life and each one has children from previous marriages. Elena's son is unemployed, unable to support his own family and he is constantly asking Elena for money. Vladimir's daughter is a careless young woman who has a distant relationship with her father. A heart attack puts Vladimir in hospital, where he realizes that his remaining time is limited. A brief but somehow tender reunion with his daughter leads him to make an important decision: she will be the only heiress of his wealth. Back home he announces it to Elena. Her hopes to financially help her son suddenly vanish. The shy and submissive housewife then comes up with a plan to give her son and grandchildren a real chance in life.
Genre: Drama
Director(s): Andrey Zvyagintsev
Production: Zeitgeist Films
  21 wins & 21 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.3
Metacritic:
87
Rotten Tomatoes:
93%
NOT RATED
Year:
2011
109 min
Website
377 Views


ELENA:

Get up.

- Good morning.

- Morning.

If they don't look after themselves,

they'll pile on the weight

and have lots of other

illnesses to deal with.

So take a good hard

look at your lifestyle.

Adjust your tastes.

The easy way to eat healthily

is to eat salads!

Bon appetit.

The porridge is perfect.

What have you got planned today?

I've got to go pick up

my pension at the bank,

then I'm going to see Sergei.

He should be coming here.

He needs the money, not you.

It's not about the money.

That's exactly what it's about.

What are you always

traipsing over there for?

He should drag himself

over here. He's a big boy.

Just drop it.

I don't tell you, how

to treat your daughter.

Dropped.

I hope you're not staying over?

No.

- Good morning.

- Hello.

There you are.

See you later.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

Today we've got a fine selection

of glossy magazines

for the lovely ladies,

also crosswords,

adult magazines and today's press.

No sense in a boring ride;

Just stop me as I come by.

Nadya! Come take care of this.

- Hello.

- Hello.

Is someone gonna get

that? Sasha! Are you deaf?

Whatever...

- Oh, Sasha. Hi.

- Hi.

Where're you going?

Take these to the kitchen.

- Hi, Ma. Come on in.

- Hey.

You need a trim!

Right, here's the money.

Thanks.

Hi, Tanya.

Here he comes, here he comes!

Oh, look who's here?

- Tanya, I brought some money.

- Elena, thank you.

Give it here.

Can't see through you, woman.

Tanya, put on the kettle.

Just a sec.

- Where are you off to?

- Gonna see Vitya.

Your Vitya isn't going anywhere.

- Back in a sec.

- I know your 'sec'.

He needs these disks now.

You two are going to wind up

in prison or in the army. Got it?

You want me to sit

here like an idiot?

Not like an idiot, like

someone with a future.

Or don't you care about that?

OK, whatever...

Don't 'whatever' me!

Take out the rubbish.

Gimme a sec!

- What 'sec'?

- Nothing.

- What did you say?

- Nothing.

Go drink tea with your grandmother.

Well how am I supposed

to talk to him?

I'll talk to him.

I'm coming, Dad. Can't get

past this stupid level!

Just a sec.

- Lemme.

- Dad!

Watch and learn.

Elena, I'll be right back.

Tanya, coming.

Sergei.

I'm talking to my son. Hold on.

Go talk with your mother.

I said, hold on.

Ma, have you talked

with him about Sasha?

Not yet. But I will.

What are you dragging it out for?

We have to know if we

have the money or not.

You know how he feels about that

sort of things. I haven't forgotten.

He knows Sasha.

They're even friends, sort of.

We're family after all.

He's a friend to everyone,

but friends with no one.

He's just a tightass.

Come on, Sergei, stop it.

If it wasn't for him, we

wouldn't have what we do.

Mam,

and what have we got, exactly?

We have to get Sasha

off the draftees list.

He's gotta know what's next for him

- university, or f***...

...where are they

fighting now - Ossetia?

Right, Tanya?

- More tea, Elena?

- Thanks.

- Sasha, when's the football?

- At nine.

We wouldn't be so worried,

but we'll need money

to talk to the right people

at school and university

before the 20th.

I'll talk to him, I promise.

If you're watching this

and you want to meet up,

I'd be glad to, because...

I want you to know that I'm here.

It looked like he didn't try.

It's pretty disappointing.

It's not the first time...

He's disappointed, too.

What's there to be disappointed

about? He chose to run like that.

But on the other hand, 09:80...

It's good, but he

should be running faster...

I'm looking for my two brothers.

My parents split up in 1960.

I didn't know I had a dad,

until he wrote to me. I was 13.

He said, that I have two brothers.

I've been looking for them for years.

If only they knew I existed.

Finding them is, like, my life's work.

It's a typical Soviet strategy:

Pile the pressure on,

hoping that he'II...

Maybe he'll get there

by the end of the season.

He's already performing differently,

but you can't see

it in the results yet.

Good morning.

I read your note. I understand,

of course, that Sasha

won't get in anywhere

on his own, will he?

I'm afraid not.

Why not serve in the army,

then? Best school there is.

Volodya, you know what it's

like in the army these days!

Why am I supposed

to support your son's family?

Why should I be burdened with paying

for someone's - effectively

a stranger's - education?

I live with you, not

with your relatives.

You know how I feel about this.

And your Sergei still

hasn't returned the money,

he borrowed from me three years

ago, if you haven't forgotten.

I remember. But you know about

Sergei's situation right now.

I know your Sergei

and his 'situation'.

His whole life is one big 'situation'.

I refuse to indulge him anymore.

Let this be a lesson for him.

You don't force lessons

like that on your daughter.

And I'm sure, you never did.

Elena, we're talking about your son.

It's like you're not listening.

He needs to get his ass up

off the couch and find ajob.

Feed his family.

If we were talking about

the boy's health - God forbid -

the money would be

on the table tomorrow.

But we are talking about his health!

If you had a grandson, there's no way

you'd let him serve in the army.

Sashajust needs

help. Give him a chance.

Leave my daughter out of this!

Why did you bring her up?

It's not my fault,

I did everything in my power,

but unfortunately she turned

out just like her mother,

only interested in life's pleasures.

A goddamn hedonist!

I don't know, what that word means.

Do you know the word 'selfish'?

Volodya, you'll help

Sasha though, won't you?

I don't know. Need to think about it.

I hope, you aren't pulling money

off your credit card for them.

I can account

for every rouble, if you want.

No, no need for that.

I'm sorry. I shouldn't

have said that.

OK.

When do they need the money?

No later than the 20th.

I'll give you my answer in a week.

Make me a coffee, please.

What have you got planned for today?

House cleaning.

I'm going to the gym.

I know.

Come on you.

Let's go, come on.

Elena!

Bring me my things.

Coming.

Good afternoon.

Enjoy Fitness, this is Irina speaking.

Just one moment, I'll put

you through to the manager.

Here you go. Enjoy your workout.

- Good afternoon.

- Hello.

Your towel.

Anton!

Put them down there.

This is for you, this is for me.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

- Bye.

- Bye.

Hello.

Yes, speaking.

- Hello.

- Good afternoon.

Remember, this is how we met.

Of course.

What year was that?

Lt'll be 10 years in December.

I would give everything to wake up

not here and now, but there and then.

No matter how you look at it, appendicitis

is still better, than a heart attack.

That was hardly appendicitis.

More like peritonitis.

A born nurse.

Of course, it was better.

If only because you

were looking after me.

Though the girls here aren't bad.

Go on, keep talking,

I'll cut off your oxygen,

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Oleg Negin

Oleg Negin (born 2 July 1970) is a Russian screenwriter and novelist. He was born in Moscow.Negin's novels include П.Ушкин and Кипарис во дворе, published in 2004. In film, he became a collaborator with director Andrey Zvyagintsev, and at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival their Leviathan won the Best Screenplay Award. For their 2017 film Loveless, Negin and Zvyagintsev were jointly nominated for the European Film Award for Best Screenwriter. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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