In 1968, when the Russian army put a harsh end to the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia, there were only six or seven people in Russia who had the courage to protest. Most people didn’t know what was going on and others didn’t care. In Totalitarian Romance the young Muscovite Andrei Sorokin is one of those who makes his voice heard. As a result he had to flee Moscow. He finds shelter in the small village of N., where his aunt lives. He plans to stay there for a while until the KGB gives up its search. One evening he meets the pretty Nadia in front of the local cinema. She is a young widow who lives with her little daughter in a slum. She is leader of the local club activities and such a convinced supporter of the Party that she despises Western fads such as The Beatles. Nevertheless, love blossoms between Andrei and Nadia. At first that gives the film a light and comic tone, but when the KGB continues to pursue Andrei, it has consequences for everyone.îVyacheslav Sorokin evokes in Totalitarian Romance an impressive picture of the late sixties in the Soviet Union, with a sharp eye to social conditions and the mentality of the era, detailed characters and excellent art direction.
