Beanpole

In the immediate aftermath of the siege, Leningrad lies in ruin, and the city still hums with a wary longing for normal life. Iya and Masha, two young women bound by hardship and a hard won sisterhood, try to redefine themselves among the cracked facades, charred streets, and the quiet wait for news that never comes. The film follows their days of work, care, and fragile companionship as they confront guilt, scarcity, and the stubborn pull of hope. Balagov builds a tense, intimate world where looks and silences tell as much as words, and where survival is a daily negotiation. The film avoids easy glory, instead showing the stubborn grind of ordinary people, with a tone that blends tenderness and frost and touches of dry humor.

Directed by Kantemir Balagov, Beanpole is a stark intimate drama that emerged in 2019 with a screenplay credited to Balagov and Alexander Terekhov. The film pairs spare, precise dialogue with a camera that lingers on faces, hands, and ruined interiors.

Box office details are not widely reported, reflecting its art house release and festival circuit. It played in limited theaters, often in major cities and at international festivals, reaching cinephiles who respond to slow burn narratives and stark historical settings.

The film earned strong critical attention at festivals, but no major awards are listed. Critics praised Balagov's bold direction and the performances of Viktoriya Miroshnichenko and Vasilisa Perelygina, noting how the movie captures pain without melodrama and renders resilience with quiet, precise intensity. Its restraint left a mark on viewers.

The film carries a 7.01 out of 10 audience score from 347 votes. Critics highlight its focus on memory, endurance, and the bond between Iya and Masha as they navigate a city in ruins, asking what survives when daily life is stripped to essentials.