Thunderstorm (2019) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language

2019 · 97 mins · Russian

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Starring

Lyubov Aksyonova, Aleksandr Kuznetsov, Alisa Khazanova, Ivan Makarevich, Mikhail Efremov, Viktoriya Tolstoganova

Set in a small Volga town reminiscent of Alexander Ostrovsky’s plays, the film explores a stifling environment where hope struggles against ingrained absurdity and oppression. Katerina Kabanova, a young woman seemingly content in her marriage, finds her life complicated by her domineering mother-in-law, Kabanikha, who demands strict adherence to tradition. Her gentle husband, Tikhon, is torn between his love for his wife and his loyalty to his mother. When Katerina develops an unexpected connection with Boris, a relative of the town's mayor, she discovers a shared tenderness and a dangerous spark of rebellion.