A Long and Happy Life
Year: 2013
Runtime: 77 mins
Language: Russian
Director: Boris Khlebnikov
Sascha manages a struggling collective farm in a remote village on the Kola Peninsula of Russia, respected by his workers and involved in a discreet relationship with Anya, a local government secretary. His peaceful existence is disrupted when ambitious officials propose a profitable deal for the farm, exploiting the fact that his lease was only a verbal agreement. Facing pressure from the administrators and encouragement from his loyal employees, Sascha must decide whether to accept the offer or fight to protect his livelihood and the community he serves, all set against a stark and beautiful landscape.
A Long and Happy Life (2013) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview
Get a spoiler-free look at A Long and Happy Life (2013) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
In the frozen reaches of the Kola Peninsula, a modest collective farm clings to the edge of a stark, snow‑kissed landscape. The endless horizon of pine‑lined tundra and the low hum of distant industry create a world where survival is measured in quiet perseverance and the rhythm of the seasons. Within this isolated community, the daily life of the village is woven from the simple acts of tending fields, repairing aging machinery, and sharing moments of warmth around weather‑worn wooden tables.
Sascha is the farm’s uneasy steward, a man whose steady hand has kept the collective afloat through lean years and whose reputation among the workers is built on a blend of competence and quiet respect. He moves through the endless expanse of the fields with a calm that belies the pressures of a livelihood bound only by a verbal lease, and his modest authority is tempered by a discreet, heartfelt connection with Anya, the local government secretary whose presence offers both personal solace and a glimpse of the bureaucratic world beyond the village’s borders.
The farm’s fragile equilibrium is suddenly illuminated by the arrival of ambitious officials, whose proposals promise a lucrative transformation that would remake the land and its people. Their vision hangs like a bright, unsettling aurora over the everyday toil, offering the promise of prosperity while threatening the delicate balance that Sascha and his loyal workers have cultivated. The tension between opportunity and tradition drifts through the cold air, echoing the endless white expanse that frames every decision.
Against this backdrop of breathtaking emptiness and muted hope, the community stands at a crossroads. The quiet determination of those who have cared for the soil, the subtle pull of personal relationships, and the looming weight of external expectations create a mood that is both contemplative and quietly urgent, inviting the audience to wonder how a single choice might reshape an entire way of life.
Last Updated: September 26, 2025 at 04:36
Explore Movie Threads
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Movies about Quiet Lives in Stark Landscapes like A Long and Happy Life
Slow-paced dramas where characters contemplate life against vast, beautiful scenery.Discover movies like A Long and Happy Life that capture the gentle, melancholic drama of rural existence. If you enjoyed the slow pacing, beautiful but harsh scenery, and the focus on life's quiet choices, you'll find similar stories of reflection and resilience in these films.
Narrative Summary
Stories in this thread typically follow characters as they navigate the challenges and solitude of living in remote, often beautiful but demanding environments. The central conflict is often internal—a struggle with purpose, memory, or belonging—set against a backdrop that emphasizes their small place in a larger world.
Why These Movies?
These films are grouped together for their shared emphasis on atmosphere over plot, their melancholic and reflective tone, and the way they use setting to amplify the characters' emotional states. They offer a similar viewing experience of quiet contemplation.
Movies with Bittersweet Farewells and Missed Connections like A Long and Happy Life
Stories where brief, intense bonds end with a poignant sense of what could have been.If you liked the bittersweet, unresolved ending of A Long and Happy Life, explore these movies about fleeting romance and missed connections. These stories capture the poignant feeling of a promising bond that couldn't last, leaving characters with a sense of longing and unfulfilled potential.
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Narrative Summary
The narrative pattern involves two characters forming a deep, often intellectual or soulful connection that feels fated yet fragile. External pressures or internal hesitations prevent the relationship from fully blossoming, leading to an ending that is emotionally resonant, somber, and focused on the memory of what almost was.
Why These Movies?
This thread unites films that share a specific emotional arc: the rise and fall of a poignant, non-permanent connection. They are linked by their bittersweet tone, medium-to-high romance scores coupled with significant sadness, and their exploration of longing and memory.
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A Long and Happy Life Summary
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