Little Vera

Little Vera

Year: 1988

Runtime: 128 mins

Language: Russian

Director: Vasili Pichul

DramaRomance

Vera, a disaffected recent school graduate, feels suffocated by the stagnant life of her provincial port town as perestroika upheavals swirl around her. She drifts through nights of heavy drinking, fleeting sexual encounters, and a home torn apart by relentless family conflict, searching for any hint of escape or purpose.

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Timeline – Little Vera (1988)

Trace every key event in Little Vera (1988) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Family pressure vs Vera's nightlife

Vera has just finished school and faces pressure from her parents to apply to university, but she prefers going out with her best friend Lena, dancing, and embracing the nightlife. She loves Western rock and pop and models herself on her idols, while living with her mother and an alcoholic father, Kolya, whose disapproval grows as her decadence persists. The conflict at home foreshadows the larger clash between duty and desire that drives the story.

Vera's home
2

Underground dance party and a new romance

At an underground dance party that is broken up by police, Vera meets Sergei and they feel an immediate connection. They fall in love quickly, and it turns out Sergei is an old friend of Vera's brother Victor, who is in town for a visit. The encounter sets the course for the couple's later plans.

Night Underground dance party
3

Vera and Sergei decide to marry

Vera and Sergei resolve to marry, their romance intensifying the already fraught family dynamics. Victor, Vera's brother, is aware of Sergei and serves as the link between their two circles. The decision to wed quickly accelerates the family’s need to accept the match.

Vera's home / city
4

Faking pregnancy to win parental approval

To win her parents' acceptance, Vera falsely tells her mother that she is pregnant. Sergei makes his first, uneasy meeting with Vera's parents, which does not go well, and he ends up moving in with them after the awkward dinner. The deception briefly mollifies tensions while setting the stage for later conflict.

Evening Vera's home
5

Tension peaks on Kolya's birthday

On Kolya's birthday, Sergei, fed up with Kolya's drunkenness, locks him in the bathroom. Kolya breaks the basin in the struggle, and when he is released, he stabs Sergei in the side, sending him to the hospital for a long convalescence. The violent incident cements the rift between Vera's family and the couple.

Evening Kolya's birthday
6

Family debates lying to authorities; tranquilizers prescribed

Vera's mother proposes telling the authorities that Sergei accidentally hurt himself to shield Kolya from prison. Victor, visiting from Moscow, prescribes tranquilizers to calm Vera's despondence. The family dynamics grow more fragile as the medical crisis lingers.

Vera's home / hospital
7

Beach picnic planned to help Vera

The family heads to the beach for a picnic under the pretense of helping Vera forget the ordeal, but Vera suspects the trip is meant to pressure her into lying about the stabbing. A storm suddenly rises as they prepare to leave, and Vera disappears; Kolya searches for her and the two lovers are later seen embracing on the beach.

Daytime Beach
8

Kolya searches for Vera; Vera and Sergei embrace on the beach

Kolya searches for Vera and, in a tense moment, he and Vera are seen together on the beach, while Vera remains torn between her family's demands and Sergei. The moment underscores the fragile union the couple is trying to maintain amid growing danger. The embrace foreshadows the unraveling after the stormy event.

Dusk Beach
9

Vera testifies about her father and visits Sergei

Vera testifies that her father was not to blame for Sergei's stabbing, attempting to shield the family. She visits Sergei in the hospital and explains that the family needed Kolya to survive, but Sergei seems uninterested and tells her to go away. The exchange marks a formal end to the couple's fragile reconciliation.

Days after Hospital
10

Return home, self-medication, and rescue

Back home, Vera is left alone, turning to drinking and pills as Victor arrives to help. Sergei escapes from the hospital and arrives on the scene, signaling a break in the fragile truce between the families. The tension between love and survival intensifies.

Night Vera's home; hospital
11

Why did he come back? he was scared

When Vera asks why Sergei returned, he explains simply that he was scared. She asks whether he loves her, seeking reassurance that their bond can endure the chaos around them. The moment reveals the fragility of their passion.

Evening Scene near hospital
12

Kolya's death

Kolya sits alone in the kitchen, gradually collapsing as exhaustion and heartbreak take their toll. He calls out to Victor and Vera, leaving his fate ambiguous but clearly fatal. His death frames the end of the family's turmoil and Vera's uncertain future.

Night Vera's home, kitchen
13

Andrey's early pursuit of Vera

At the start, Andrey, a former classmate, is infatuated with Vera and wants her to marry him, illustrating the social pressure on Vera and her sexuality. He tries to persuade her to come home with him when he is about to leave for naval training, but Vera spurns his advances.

Beginning Near Vera's home, street
14

Andrey's second approach and Vera's resistance

Later, Andrey returns on a brief leave and again tries to arrange a tryst, only to face Vera's physical resistance as she defends herself. The encounter emphasizes Vera's struggle for autonomy in the face of persistent male pressure. The scene adds to the atmosphere of danger and vulnerability around Vera.

One day after Street / on her way home from hospital

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:24

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Little Vera Summary

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