Sisters

Sergei Bodrov Jr, the young star of his father's Prisoner of the Mountain and Alexei Balabanov's Brother, makes a confident stab at direction himself in this nicely observed tale of kids on the run in small town Russia. Thirteen-year-old rifle enthusiast Sveta and her half-sister Dina are targeted by their gangster father's erstwhile gang when, on release from prison, he fails to deliver the million roubles they claim he owes. Bodrov and co-scripter Gulshad Omarova enrich this staple situation with telling detail, both psychological and atmospheric. They develop the sisters' relationship with care and credibility, while avoiding dramatic over-emphasis through measured pacing and tone. Valery Martynov's camerawork is never dull and the performances, including a winning cameo by the director, are good. But the Russian rock soundtrack is indifferent.