Synopsis

Alisa, a nurse tired of her life in Moscow, leaves for St. Petersburg in hopes of escaping loneliness. There, she meets two drug addicts: bartender Vel and Vel’s boyfriend, Dead Man. Conflict arises between Alisa and Vel over Dead Man, but when Alisa saves Vel from a heroin overdose, a strange friendship develops between the two. When Dead Man is kidnapped for not paying his debts, the two women embark on an adventure into the St. Petersburg underworld, where guns and gangs rule, to save Dead Man. The debut feature of director Igor Voloshin, who worked as a punk musician and is an accomplished actor, writer, and director in theater, *Nirvana* incorporates his diverse experience, as seen in the unique sets and punk music. In this simple story about the relationship between one man and two women who seem to lack purpose in life, the director portrays, with extraordinary sensibility, modern people who escape from reality and live recklessly. The extravagant costumes, accessories, and exaggerated makeup the characters present are visually striking but also highlight the psychological emptiness they carry with them. (Chung Woochung)

Director

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  • Igor Voloshin
  • Born in 1974 in Sevastopol, Ukraine. He began acting in 1992 with a local youth theater and soon took acting classes at the Volkoff Theater Academy. He also acted in plays he wrote and directed. From 1998 to 2000, he studied screenwriting and direction at the Russian State Institute of Cinematography, and later directed two short films at Sverdlovsk Film Studio. *Nirvana* is his feature film debut.