Elena

(Andrey Zvyagintsev, Russia 2011, 109 min., 35mm, Russian w/subtitles)

Andrey Zvyagintsev. Winner of Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize, Elena is a gripping, modern twist on the classic noir thriller. Sixtysomething spouses Vladimir and Elena uneasily share his palatial Moscow apartment—he’s a still-virile, wealthy businessman; she’s a former nurse who has “married up.” Estranged from his own daughter, Vladimir openly despises his wife’s son and family. But when a sudden illness and an unexpected reunion threaten Elena’s potential inheritance, she must hatch a desperate plan.