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Two young women in post-WWII Leningrad struggle to find meaning and hope amidst ruins.
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1945, Leningrad. WWII has devastated the city, demolishing its buildings and leaving its citizens in tatters, physically and mentally. Two young women search for meaning and hope in the struggle to rebuild their lives amongst the ruins.
"Over the last few years, Russian filmmakers have been increasingly betting on bleak stories, with a cold atmosphere and troubled characters. This is the case of the excellent 'Loveless' and 'Leviathan', for example, praised by specialized critics. Now, this formula is repeated in 'Dylda', selected from Russia to compete for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 2020. In it, a woman faces the pains of a period of war, while also living with the dilemmas of motherhood. The protagonist's pain is palpable, in an impressive performance by Viktoria Miroshnichenko. There is a physicality in her rare performance in Russian cinema. The looks, gestures and weakened smiles say a lot. Meanwhile, Kantemir Balagov's direction (from the good 'Tesnota') takes advantage of an excess of green, in the photography, to create the necessary atmosphere. It's hard not to be moved and not to leave transformed from 'Dylda'. It's strong, it's impressive, it's hard."