By the Lake (1970) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language

1970 · 173 mins · Russian

Directed by

Sergei Gerasimov

Starring

Natalya Bondarchuk, Natalya Arinbasarova, Vasiliy Shukshin, Valentina Telichkina, Nikolay Eryomenko, Aleksandr Snykov

Set in the early 1960s on Lake Baikal’s shore, the film explores humanity’s duty to each other and nature as a massive construction project threatens the lake. Young Lena Barmina, a scientist’s daughter, falls for engineer Chernykh, who bears the burden of the enterprise. Learning he is married, Lena leaves, underscoring the personal and ecological cost of progress.