CLOUD HEAVEN (OBLAKO-RAJ)

USSR, 1991, 79 minutes, Colour.
Andrei Zhigalov.
Directed by Nikolai Dostal.

Cloud Heaven is an indication of change of style in the Russian film industry after the transformations in Europe in the late 80s. Already, by 1988/89 Little Vera showed a different side of Russia, the gritty realism of the industrial cities, personal relationships in the drab suburbs, and an openness towards frankness in presentation of relationships and sexuality. This is a delightful film, slight and short in running length. It is a mixture of the whimsical and the melancholic. A very genial young man called Kolya, Andrei Zhigalov, has nothing to do on a Sunday. He is full of energy, literally leaping about, trying to make conversation with two elderly ladies, with his unwilling neighbour Vaslich who owes him money, with his best friend Fyidor and his wife Valya. He clashes with the mother of his girlfriend and with Natalya herself. In the course of the conversation, with nothing better to say, he talks about getting an offer from a friend to leave town. The film and the story change. Everybody brightens up everybody wants to be his friend. He is packed, given a send-off, a collection taken up, everybody changing and coming alive. He has to go along with the consequences of what he has said even though he becomes more melancholic. He finally goes - but sees everybody in the back of the bus as he makes towards his new life.

The film shows the extraordinarily drab towns and cities of Russia, the industrial waste, the lack of parkland, the dreary apartment blocks, the ugly rooms; However, the film seems to be saying that if pe6ple start again, they will be roused, their better selves will emerge.

1. Entertaining and rye comedy? Whimsy and melancholy? From Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union? A change of mood? The past and the future?

2. The long opening sequence with the helicopter tracking over the whole town, the audience seeing the vast perspective of the drab town and surroundings? Kolya and his singing of the romantic song about Cloud Heaven? Hearing him come down the stairs and out into his Sunday?

3. The portrait of Kolya, the young man, genial personality, full of energy, with nothing to do? His talking about the weather and the radio? With the old ladies with don't respond? Chasing Vaslich, talking to him, Vaslich wanting to escape from him? The money loaned? The encounter with Natalya's mother and her warning him off? Valya and Fyidor and their lack of interest, sitting and smoking, idle chat? Their backing him into a corner about leaving? The transformation? His becoming more melancholy as he elaborates the story? Going home, changing, being packed, the party, everybody turning up? The encounter with Natalya and her angers? With the landlord and the new tenant? The twins and their taking all the furniture to sell? His wanting them all out, lying on the bed, their coming in again? Trying to cheer him up? Finally packing him off? To the bus station? Natalya and the final farewells and her sadness? The promises to write? In the bus alone - but looking round and finding everybody with him? What will happen to him?

4. The people of the town and the directors perception of Russia types: the two very elderly ladies rugged up, sitting outside, listening to Kolya? Not answering? Joining in the celebrations? Vaslich, his trying to avoid Kolya, running away? The money loan - and his change of heart and giving him the money? Fyidor and Valya, their glum mood? The change of heart, Valya and the make-up and her transformation? Fyidor coming alive? The packing, the party, the jollity, the hopes - and the genial good wishes? The landlord and his discussions - and the new tenant? The taking of the furniture while the party was going on ~ even the table? The other people of the town, the young boy? An atmosphere of jollity and the Sunday transformed? Their following to the bus station, the farewells?

5. Natalya, her love for Kolya, her not understanding what was going on? The arguments about leaving? Her following him to the bus and the tearful farewell? Her mother relenting?

6. The portrait of a Russian town, its drabness, the need for people to leave and start new lives? Drab lives and the possibility of their transformation? Russian cinema echoing a hope for the 90s?