When September Comes (1975) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story unfolds primarily in Moscow, a bustling metropolis of crowded apartment blocks and an impersonal pace. However, Levon's Armenian hometown of Ashtarak is referenced as the source of his warmth and communal values, creating a meaningful contrast between his origins and the urban environment.

• moscow
• ashtarak
• armenia
• russia
• setting
• locations

Moscow represents urban anonymity and a brisk, impersonal lifestyle, while Ashtarak symbolizes the communal warmth and connection Levon brings with him. This contrast highlights how he transforms ordinary moments in the city into opportunities for gathering and kindness.

• moscow
• ashtarak
• city vs hometown
• contrast
• community

Levon's generosity and vibrant warmth turn ordinary moments into opportunities for connection. He makes space for neighbors to feel seen and valued, showing how personal kindness can echo through a community and transform strangers into a supportive network.

• warmth
• kindness
• connection
• neighbors
• community

Doctors reveal a looming prognosis that is withheld from Levon. The film explores acceptance, dignity, and choosing to live fully in the face of death. Rather than focusing on suffering, mortality becomes a catalyst for celebrating life and deepening relationships.

• mortality
• death
• acceptance
• terminal illness
• prognosis
• death sentence

A misinterpreted smoke from a balcony turns into a spontaneous gathering, drawing diverse residents together. The high-rise serves as a shared stage for connection, humor, and mutual support, demonstrating how communities form through small acts of kindness and shared experiences.

• community
• apartment building
• high-rise
• neighbors
• gathering
• resilience

Family tensions surface through Levon's daughter Nune's jealousy toward her husband, revealing intimate dynamics behind the cheerful exterior. The interactions show loyalty, care, and the complex nature of love within families dealing with impending loss.

• family
• relationships
• nune
• daughter
• husband
• jealousy
• tension

Levon Poghosyan is an outgoing Armenian pensioner and grandfather whose warmth drives the entire story. Despite being terminally ill, he journeys from Armenia to Moscow to celebrate his grandson's first day of school, turning everyday moments into opportunities for connection and joy.

• levon
• poghosyan
• grandfather
• protagonist
• armenian
• warmth

Gena is a friendly local handyman who builds a grill for Levon and catalyzes the balcony gathering. Practical and approachable, he bridges the gap between strangers in the Moscow high-rise, showing how small favors can spark a sense of belonging.

• gena
• handyman
• grill
• balcony
• practical
• helpful

Nune is Levon's daughter who struggles with jealousy toward her husband. Her tension reflects domestic strain and the emotional undercurrents of family life, as she cares for her father while managing fragile balances at home.

• nune
• daughter
• jealousy
• husband
• family tension
• caregiver

The film has a bittersweet tone, the protagonist's terminal illness creates a deeply sad core, yet the dominant experience is his warmth and the joy he brings to others. The gentle, hopeful tone focuses on connection rather than suffering.

• bittersweet
• tone
• emotional
• hope
• warmth
• sadness

The narrative proceeds through a series of episodic encounters and small family dramas, building steadily toward a final farewell. The pacing is steady rather than fast, allowing intimate moments to resonate and the character-driven plot to unfold naturally.

• pacing
• structure
• episodic
• steady
• narrative style
• farewell