Loveless

The film opens in a serene yet cold Russian winter, as 12-year-old Aloysha steps out of school. He navigates a desolate forest, highlighting the loneliness he feels amidst his parents’ marital turmoil.

Zhenya, a beauty salon owner, and her husband Boris, a management employee, are on the brink of divorce. Their neglect for Aloysha stems from their preoccupation with personal desires and new relationships.

Boris finds comfort with Masha, who is pregnant, while Zhenya engages with Anton, a wealthy businessman. These extramarital relationships intensify the emotional void experienced by their son Aloysha.

As the couple prepares to finalize their divorce and sell their apartment, the custody of Aloysha becomes a contentious issue. It’s evident that he is seen as a burden rather than a cherished child.

Feeling the weight of his parents' discord, Aloysha isolates himself, hiding behind a bathroom door to escape their bitter arguments. His emotional neglect mirrors the deteriorating family dynamic.

Set against a backdrop of 2012, the radio discusses fears of an impending apocalypse as well as the war in Ukraine. This environment of anxiety parallels the personal crises faced by the characters.

Zhenya discovers that Aloysha has not been in school for two days, which escalates the already high tension between her and Boris. Instead of uniting to find their son, their animosity deepens.

The couple contacts the police, who express little concern over Aloysha's disappearance, leading them to enlist a volunteer search group. They begin to connect with neighbors and distribute fliers.

Guided by an interview with Aloysha's friend, Boris and Zhenya venture into an abandoned apartment hidden in the woods. The scene is tense as searchers in bright jackets scour the site for any signs of their son.

A brief glimmer of hope arises when a boy resembling Aloysha is found in a hospital. However, this quickly turns to despair when they realize it is not their son, leading them both back into the depths of sorrow.

In an attempt to mend their fractured relationship, Boris and Zhenya visit Zhenya's mother. Instead of reconciliation, their visit fuels an eruption of pent-up resentment and hatred.

Throughout the film, glimpses of mysterious characters surface, including a man wandering the forest and a teacher erasing a blackboard. These scenes add to the film's overarching theme of human disconnection.

Amidst their search, the couple is reminded by Anton that survival without love is futile. This moment underscores the haunting consequences of their neglect towards Aloysha.

The film culminates without a resolution to Aloysha's fate, leaving the audience in contemplation. The bleak ending serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of a loveless existence.