The film “Mila” is a socio-psychological drama based on a self-denial and love as one of the primary virtues.
The leading theme is “the cry of a forsaken woman”. But at the same time the picture shows the viewer a cross-section of modern society with its vital problems and inconsistencies.
There is no escapism in this psychological movie. This is a harsh reality.
The film focuses not on the external events that make up the storyline, but on the inner world of the characters, on their states, feelings and reactions to the situation.
“Mila” is a synthetic genre film, that artfully consolidates the real story and the fiction. There is a very thin line between the reality and the figment of imagination which sometimes gets completely erased.
The unique synthetic genre of the film predesignated its extraordinary and diverse cast. Therefore, the main characters are not actors, but real people who are masterfully “embedded” into the plot. Mila’s role is played by a professional pianist, her mother and sister are the real inhabitants of the apartment playing essentially themselves.
The mixed cast leads to the fact that a real homeless person can work hand in hand with a professional actor on the set.
Dogs and cats in the Mila’s house are also a great members of the process and bring a special charm to the picture.
The oppressive atmosphere of the film is emphasized by the realism of the gloomy Moscow “stalinka” (Stalin-era building), where the main action of the picture sets.
The main character (Mila) is a professional pianist, a teacher who has devoted her whole life to music, falls into the cycle of harsh life circumstances at her advanced age. The crucial point in her life was a divorce from her husband. Mila closes herself off and refuses to communicate with former acquaintances. She does not admit music as the reason for existence anymore. She has a deeply elderly mother suffering from dementia, an oligophrenic sister and a troubled loafer teen, relations of whom are not so satisfying and lead to a conflict. In the state of alienation and inner solitude Mila gets engaged in the “Breakdown”.
* “Breakdown” is a bypassing of garbage sites and a searching for items that can be handed over as recyclable materials (mainly metal).*
Her soul is rushing, desperately looking for a way out of the current situation, eager to meet with a loved one who can destroy the unfortunate circle of events, but so far all is in vain. However, she is held back from mentally killing herself. The power that music can give still lives in the depths of her tortured soul.
