ACID/ KISLOTA

Russia, 2019, 97 minutes, Colour.
Filipp Avdeev, Aleksander Kuznetsov.
Directed by Alekxander Gorchilin.

There are different kinds of acid in this Russian film, the work of young actor turned director.

Central characters of the film are young, a group of friends, bonding together, sharing in drugs and drink, issues of sexuality. One young man is found naked, in a distressed state, not getting all the sympathy he might want – and then, standing on a balcony, one of his friends actually taunting him to jump. He does.

This leads to a focus on two of the friends. One, Sasha, seems a rather more quiet type, scenes at home with his family, going to the dead man’s funeral. However, attention is drawn to him because he has had a circumcision operation’ there is a certain curiosity amongst his associates with his being reluctant to communicate about it. The other friend, Petya, is quite different, attends the funeral but opens with an outburst, critical of the dead man, criticising his reputation, letting people know about his personal behaviour.

After spending the night at an artist’s studio, Petya drinks some of the acid that the artist uses for uses for his work. This brash behaviour leads to damage to his vocal chords and to his face, his having to go to hospital, being bandaged. Sasha has an opposite experience leading to antagonism with Petya, a collapse in his own private life and values.

Ultimately, there is a confrontation, not in a place where one might expect it in this Russian film and with these young characters. Some her other, Petya has something of a conversion and agrees to attend a baptism in the church. This has a damaging effect on Sasha who, angry, gets the acid and wants to put it in the baptismal font. There is prayer, the celebration of the sacrament – and the audience attention as to what will happen to the young baby as it goes to the font.

In many ways this is an angry film, the film observant of young people and their behaviour, their moral confusion, the potential for devastating effects.


1. The title, drugs, the fluid used for artwork? A film about Russian youth?

2. Contemporary Russia, the settings, homes, gatherings, parties? The young, their friends?

3. The crisis, the naked young man, the drugs, the reaction of the group, care? His appearing on the balcony? Petya and his careless urging him to jump? His jumping?

4. Petya of the funeral, outspoken, exposing the life of the dead man?

5. The current recession, his girlfriend, his circumcision, the issue of the photo, his wanting to be private? Not having sex? His place in the family?

6. Petya and Sasha, their friendship, the questioning about what happened, Petya and his confessing?

7. Sasha, the effect, his moral collapse?

8. Pete, the night with the artist, his drinking the fluid, the consequences, losing his voice, the effect on his mouth?

9. His decision to confess?

10. Sasha, his reaction, vindictive, getting the fluid, tempted to drink it, pouring it in the baptismal font?

11. The building up of tension, the group coming for the baptism, the priest, words and symbolism, big being late? Sasha and his reaction, turning over the font and spilling the water?

12. The religious symbolism used by the young director? The place of religion and its symbolism?

13. The consequences for Petya, Sasha?