Heart of a Dog

The narrative sits in the immediate aftermath of the October Revolution, during the early Soviet era. Moscow experiences upheaval as new Bolshevik ideals reshape social norms and institutions. The period is defined by experimentation, both in science and governance, which frames the professor's controversial experiment.

The action unfolds in Moscow not long after the October Revolution, primarily within a large apartment that doubles as the professor's living and medical lab. The city is depicted as a hub of radical social change and bureaucratic life, where science and politics intersect in everyday spaces. The setting contrasts the intimate domestic environment with the sweeping upheavals of early Soviet society.

🧬 Identity

Sharik's transformation from a stray dog into a man raises questions about what makes someone truly human. He inherits the donor's flaws—bad manners, aggression, alcoholism—and gradually embodies a new, conflicted self. The film uses this arc to explore how identity can be constructed—and corrupted—by external interventions.

⚖️ Ethics

The transplantation experiment embodies a collision between scientific ambition and moral responsibility. The doctor's attempt to engineer a better society through biological grafts exposes the price of meddling with life. The consequences reveal a critique of utilitarian rationalism and the danger of treating humans as test subjects.

🏛️ Power and Society

The story situates private lab work within a public, bureaucratic system—the Moscow department for extermination of stray animals and the Bolshevik administration influencing the professor's apartment. This dynamic highlights how institutions and ideology seek to shape personal life and space. The resulting clashes over property, status, and control critique the abuse of power in a rapidly changing society.