Nirvana

The narrative is anchored in the post-Soviet period of Russia, a time of rapid social change and urban strain. Economic precarity and the rise of drug use color the characters' choices and relationships. The city’s nightscape serves as a backdrop for personal risk, debt, and fleeting chances at a better life.

The story unfolds within Saint Petersburg during the early 2000s, a city of canals, brick tenements, and neon-lit nights. The perpetually dark apartment block becomes a character of its own, reflecting the isolation of the residents. The setting emphasizes a harsh, interconnected urban underworld where strangers drift into precarious alliances.

🌆 Survival

Alisa arrives in a harsh city landscape and must navigate unsafe housing, low-paid work, and dangerous neighbors. Small acts of courage—like taking a nurse job and securing shelter—become essential for staying alive. The thread of survival runs through every decision, from debt to escape.

💔 Betrayal

The relationships at the apartment are rife with tension: Vel’s distrust, Valera's affair with Alisa, and the looming debt that drives criminals to intervene. Trust is fragile, and betrayals ripple through the trio, changing the course of their lives. The film shows how love can be both a lifeline and a source of danger.

💊 Addiction

Drug use casts a heavy shadow over the characters, shaping choices and fates. Vel’s dependence and the threat of overdose propel the plot toward crisis and sacrifice. The criminal underworld that profits from addiction becomes an ever-present danger.

🤝 Redemption

Despite deep conflicts, Alisa and Vel are pulled into a fragile alliance when Alisa helps Vel raise money, risking her own safety. The story evolves into a precarious friendship shaped by shared peril and mutual survival. The ending hints at leaving Saint Petersburg for a chance at a new life.