THE BELOVS

Victor Kossakovsky's THE BELOVS is as simple a tale as there can be. Nothing happens, and everthing happens, in this darkly funny documentary which seems as though it might have sprung from the pages of Chekov or Turgenev. Twice-widowed Anna Belova lives in a tiny rural village with her brother Mikhail. They are extraordinary Russionapeasants whose moods swing wildly between joy and despair. They are way beyond eccentric. They open themselves completely to the camera, treating Kossakovsky as an honored guest. Through thoughful camera placement and an editing stragedy that allows time for the characters to reveal themselves, the director has created a film that touches upon a rich interplay of human and social issues with elegance and charm. In Russian with English subtitles.