In the Russian town of Nalchik in 1998, David and his fiancée Lea are kidnapped after a night on the town. When a grievous ransom is demanded, bitter resentments and cruel dilemmas come to light, threatening to tear apart not only their community but also the ties of their Jewish family.

This powerhouse debut by Kantemir Balagov, a student of master Aleksandr Sokurov, delves into the fraught relationships of the small Jewish community inside the Caucasian city of Nalchik. Darya Zhovner’s performance as a young woman seeking freedom from a confining world is fierce and unforgettable.