Stalin's Couch

Set in the 1950s Soviet Union, the story follows a young artist who is hired to sculpt a monument for Stalin. The assignment thrusts him into a maze of secrecy and state oversight, where every brush stroke is weighed against party lines. He endures rigorous checks, hushed conversations, and the pervasive chill of suspicion as the KGB eyes his past and motives. The project becomes a test of loyalty, with officials weighing his creative choices against political expectations. The artist wrestles with the pressure to conform while staying true to his craft, realizing that art under a totalitarian gaze can feel like a tightrope walk between truth and propaganda. Performances carry a measured gravity that keeps the mood tightly controlled throughout.

Directed by Fanny Ardant from a concept by Jean-Daniel Baltassat, Stalin's Couch premiered in 2016. The film features Gerard Depardieu as Joseph Staline and Emmanuelle Seigner as Lidia.

The film has a lukewarm reception with a 4.0 out of 10 from a small audience, signaling mixed feelings about its mood and pacing. It probes how censorship shapes art memory and personal risk under a regime that prizes illusion over truth.