Promised Heaven

The events unfold during the twilight of the Soviet Union, a period of economic decline and social change. Former professionals inhabit the landfill, and the social fabric is strained as jobs disappear and loyalties shift. The narrative ties personal destinies to a broader era of upheaval and transition.

On the outskirts of Moscow, a landfill becomes a makeshift home for a group of displaced people. The site is crowded with shacks, waste, and a fragile sense of community built from shared hardship. The looming plan to liquidate the site for a factory adds urgency to their already precarious existence. This setting—gritty, crowded, and marginal—frames the film's exploration of hope and survival.

🛸 Promised

A central thread is the aliens' imagined gift of a perfect 'Promised Heaven' and the lure of escape from hardship. The group clings to this fantasy as a source of meaning, dignity, and collective purpose. The narrative probes how belief can mobilize a community and also blind it to the risks of a contingent reality. The promise becomes both motive and trap for the characters.

🌗 Disillusion

The film juxtaposes aspiration with harsh reality as the plan for a brighter future clashes with police, tanks, and impending eviction. The residents' unity is tested by fear, scarcity, and the encroaching state's power. Through this tension, it examines resilience and the costs of clinging to a dream in a collapsing system.

🧠 Memory

Past traumas and repression surface through characters like Fyodor and others whose histories inform present choices. Amnesia and recollection shape trust, leadership, and factional bonds within the group. The memory of Stalin-era repression haunts present decisions and fuels both suspicion and solidarity.