Elena Mihailovna, having worked all her life in the only school of a provincial town, lives modestly in retirement. Unexpectedly she learns of a fatal diagnosis, which can at any moment end her life. Instead of an unbearable anticipation, she resolutely begins the preparation for her own death, in order to simplify the procedure for her son. She has not seen her only son for over five years because he worrks in the capital. Oleg is constantly busy, and he does not have time for his lonely mother. At the same time with all the new problems, the heroine receives as a gift a huge carp, which changes her life.
Acting
Neyolova's deadpan march toward death is devastating and hilarious
Direction
Kott balances bureaucratic nightmare with genuine pathos
Writing
The carp as metaphor and actual problem—perfect Russian storytelling
Director
Vladimir Kott
Marina Neyolova
Елена Михайловна (учительница на пенсии)
Alisa Freyndlikh
Людмила Борисовна (соседка Елены)
Evgeny Mironov
Олег Никифоров (сын Елены)
Sergey Puskepalis
Сергей Анисимов
Aleksandr Bashirov
Сергей Анисимов (патологоанатом)
Natalya Surkova
Галина Дорменеева (работница ЗАГСа)
Tatyana Rasskazova
Фаина Павловна (директор дома престарелых)
Anton Shpinkov
Пашка (внук Людмилы)
Artyom Leshchik
рыбак Валерка
Anna Ekaterininskaya
патологоанатом Кристина
Konstantin Shelestun
ветеринар
Tatyana Tuzova
продавщица Светлана Петрова
Olga Kozhevnikova
алкоголичка Наташа
Valentina Vedernikova
подруга Елены Надежда Кузьминична
Valentina Nejmorovec
подруга Елены Евгения Андреевна
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The film satirizes post-Soviet administrative absurdity where death requires more paperwork than life. The carp tradition reflects Russian gift-giving culture where impracticality equals affection.
Neyolova was 78 during filming and reportedly insisted on performing her own 'carp carrying' scenes. The fish prop cost more than three days of the production budget.
RU
