Very Feminine Stories

"Very Feminine Stories" assembles five short films that each center on a woman dealing with love, family ties, desire, and the small decisions that shape daily life. The pieces vary in mood, shifting from light comedic moments to more serious, reflective scenes, and they prioritize character detail over plot mechanics. Rather than following a single protagonist, the movie offers separate snapshots that reveal personality through conversation, awkward encounters, and private choices. The segments are linked by theme rather than plot, so you get a mosaic of perspectives on what women want and what they sacrifice, without spoilers for how any story resolves.

Released in 2020, the anthology was directed by Lika Yatkovskaya, Anna Sarukhanova, Oksana Mikheeva, and Anton Bilzho, and created by Natalya Merkulova and Anna Bakuradze. The cast includes familiar Russian actors such as Anna Mikhalkova, Viktoriya Isakova, Viktoriya Tolstoganova, Lukerya Ilyashenko, and Anna Slyu, and the film feels like a collaborative showcase for several performers.

The film did not generate widely reported box office figures, and available information points to a modest commercial presence. Distribution appears to have been limited, with the movie reaching regional audiences and festival viewers rather than achieving broad international release or mainstream theatrical saturation.

Audience and critical reaction leaned toward the negative, reflected in a low user score of 2.3 out of 10 based on 3 votes on one platform, and reviewers often noted unevenness in tone and quality from segment to segment. Many critics and viewers pointed out that the anthology format and multiple directors produced variable results, with some stories landing better than others. Central themes are modern womanhood, competing obligations, personal desire, and the compromises people accept.

Though it didn’t become a cultural phenomenon, the film contributes to a steady stream of female-centered projects in contemporary Russian cinema. For viewers attracted to short-form storytelling and character sketches, it offers varied performances and small moments that highlight everyday relationships and social expectations.