Underplayed Gems

It Happened Near the Sea (1989)

It Happened Near the Sea poster
Original title
Это было у моря
Directed by
Ayan Shakhmaliyeva
Genre
drama film, teen film
Country
Soviet Union
Runtime
1h 37m
Rating
5.0 of 10 from 4 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A group of teenagers spend time near the sea during the final years of the Soviet Union. Their lives are touched by the ongoing war in Afghanistan and a growing sense of discontent with the system around them.

bleakreflectivesomberslow-burnunsettlingmelancholicintimategritty

What happens

It Happened Near the Sea (Russian: Это было у моря) is a 1989 Soviet drama film directed by Ayan Shakhmaliyeva. It was made during the dying days of the Soviet Union, and reflects the growing discontent towards the Soviet system. In a couple of scenes it mentions the Soviet–Afghan War, with one girl's father revealed to be fighting in the war. That war ended in February that year with Soviet withdrawal and failure. Just a few months after the film was made came the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union. As well as its critical stance on Communism, it was controversial due to nude scenes involving some of the young cast in the medical scenes. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems. Not quite it? You can browse by genre, country and year, or take this one into the 3D catalogue and ask the Catbot for something closer.