Lilja 4-ever

Not actually a Russian film, but starring the superb actress Oksana Akinshina who showed immense promise in the film 'Sisters' and with Russian dialogue. The film is from the Swedish director Lukas Moodyson, director of the film 'Fucking Amal', which stars Rebecka Liljeberg star of 'Bear's Kiss' and is well worth checking out.

The story is a harrowing one about a young girl, abandoned by her mother, befriended by a confidence trickster and sent to Sweden where she is forced into the sex-trade. Based on a true story, filmed in a quasi-documentary style and given a real power by the extraordinary depth of acting from Akinshina, the film can hardly fail to leave a deep and lasting impression. It is not a perfect film - the dream sequences are slightly less than wholly successful - but, for the most part, it works so well that these slight flaws can be overlooked. If the scene of Lilja's mother abandoning her brings you close to tears, the last half hour will leave you numb.