Odesa, Ukraine. Hard-nosed city planner Valentina rarely sees her free-spirited geologist husband, Maksim. Meanwhile, country girl Nadya moves to the city and becomes Valentina’s maid. Little does Valentina know that Maksim broke Nadya’s heart when he visited her village during a recent expedition.

The broken pieces of two entwined romances form the poetic imagery of Kira Muratova’s first solo outing as a feature director. Once banned by the Soviet government, Brief Encounters bridges the gap between the urban and the rural with its exploration of female discontent, told in stirring vignettes.