The Return

Life’s tough for kids… especially if, like Ivan (Dobronravov), all you recall of your dad derives from a photo taken over a decade ago. Still, at least Ivan’s older brother Andrey (Garin) looks out for him when other boys in their provincial Russian hometown tease him; so does their mum, at least until the pair arrive home to find a sleeping man (Lavronenko) who, she says, is her long-lost husband. But is he really the guy in the photo? Zvyagintsev’s Venice prize-winner is a model of suspenseful storytelling. The acting, too, is terrific. Very highly recommended indeed.