Gleb’s Family Strain

Gleb, a Russian businessman, suspects his wife Galina is cheating while their lakefront home grows emotionally distant.

War’s Periphery

Zvyagintsev’s film 'Minotaur' shows Russia’s Ukraine invasion through the lens of a fictional city’s border chaos and quiet suffering.

“Holy fuck”

The Draft Quota

The mayor demands Gleb provide fourteen men for Russia’s war effort, a number echoing Greek mythology’s sacrificial victims.

“We aren’t here to bargain”

Zvyagintsev’s Process

Zvyagintsev crafts films with meticulous attention to detail, creating a sense of authenticity through precise framing and minimal dialogue.

“He manages to transfer the feeling of life itself onto the screen”

The War’s Impact

Zvyagintsev’s film reveals the war’s quiet toll on ordinary Russians through subtle visual cues and domestic tension.

“The war unfolds on the periphery”

Gleb’s Dilemma

Gleb suspects his wife’s infidelity while the war forces him to choose between his family and state demands.

“I’m tired of being your shadow”

The Leviathan Motif

Zvyagintsev uses the Book of Job to frame Russia’s state as a modern 'Leviathan' devouring its citizens.

“Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear”

Zvyagintsev’s Exile

Zvyagintsev fled Russia after a severe illness linked to the pandemic and now makes films from abroad.

“Every single measure was wildly abnormal”

The Film’s Premiere

Zvyagintsev’s 'Minotaur' wins Cannes’ Grand Prix and calls for an end to Russia’s war.

“Put an end to this carnage. The whole world is waiting for it”

Putin’s Response

Putin’s press secretary dismisses Zvyagintsev’s call for peace as unauthorized criticism of Ukraine.

“I have no say in this, just as a hundred million Russians today have no say”

Zvyagintsev’s Stance

Zvyagintsev insists his film is a humanistic critique of war, not political propaganda.

“The act of sending fourteen people to their deaths is fundamentally the same thing as what was done by those who sent an entire army to war”