Zigzag of Success

Set in the 1960s Soviet Union, the film captures a moment of cautious optimism and social rigidity. A provincial town’s photo studio becomes a stage for personal gambles, professional dreams, and shifting loyalties. Modernization, symbolized by a coveted Zenit-6 camera, sits alongside enduring traditions and domestic tensions.

The story unfolds in a quiet provincial town in the 1960s, centered on the local photo studio Sovremennik. The studio is a tight-knit workplace where ambition, camaraderie, and petty rivalries play out under the era’s bureaucratic gaze. The town’s everyday rhythm—shops, trains, and social gatherings—frames the characters’ schemes and small triumphs.

💰 Ambition and Luck

Oreshnikov's bid to rise through the mutual aid fund hinges on luck rather than merit, culminating in a lottery win that tests his status. The win briefly elevates him but fractures trust among colleagues. The arc explores how personal ambition can both inspire and oppress a close-knit team.

💔 Love and Jealousy

Lidiya Sergeyevna's rocky marriage and Olya's role as a potential partner entangle affection with resentment and need. Romantic entanglements collide with professional life, revealing how desire can blur boundaries at work. Confessions and temptations complicate loyalties within the studio community.

🎭 Revenge and Masks

New Year pranks escalate into a disguised caper, with Santa Claus and a skier delivering a playful but pointed revenge. The theft and subsequent return of the funds expose the studio's morally gray humor and its members' longing for justice. The deception tests friendships and forces a reckoning.

🎯 Dreams and Disillusionment

Oreshnikov dreams of becoming a photo artist and owning the Zenit-6, a symbol of artistic legitimacy. The pursuit of recognition drives his decisions and his fall from grace. The film juxtaposes idealized ambitions with the practical and social limits of the era.