East West

The story begins in 1946, in the immediate aftermath of World War II, under Stalinist control. It traces decades of coercion, surveillance, and political upheaval through the late 1980s, a period culminating in glasnost-era loosening and distant promises of reform. The timeline spans emigration attempts, secret allegiances, and the slow unraveling of state power across Kyiv, Sofia, and Paris as the family’s fate evolves.

The action unfolds across major urban centers and seas: from the postwar streets of Kyiv to the port city of Odessa, with a perilous voyage looming over the émigrés. A cramped communal apartment and factory settings anchor the everyday life of returning refugees under strict state observation. The narrative also travels to Vienna and Sofia as routes toward the West, culminating in France, underscoring the geographical breadth of the characters’ hopes and risks.

🕊️ Freedom

Freedom is pursued through personal choice, daring plans, and risky escapes that defy coercive authority. Marie’s longing for France and Sasha’s bid to reach the West illuminate the cost of seeking autonomy. The film juxtaposes intimate desires with the harsh reality of a system designed to bind individuals to the state. Every act of defiance, whether small or bold, tests the boundaries of personal liberty.

🤝 Loyalty

Loyalty pulls in conflicting directions: to family, to a spouse, and to the state. Alexei outwardly honors the regime while managing private truths that threaten the family unit. Marie negotiates loyalty to her husband with loyalty to her own dreams of escape, creating a fractured marriage. The narrative examines how allegiance shapes decisions under pressure and what remains when loyalty is strained beyond endurance.

🌍 Displacement

Displacement drives the plot as characters move between cities, countries, and possible futures. The West represents opportunity but also danger, with smuggling, interrogation, and extradition highlighting the precariousness of asylum. The family’s physical and emotional journeys reveal the toll of political upheaval on intimate bonds. The film portrays displacement not merely as a move, but as a redefining of identity under oppressive systems.