A harsh movie using 140 minutes about harsh conditions in Leningrad post war in 1945.  Based on the 1985 book “The Unwomanly Price of War”, the film sees the struggle of two tenacious women, one a nurse, Iya and the other a soldier, Masha as they share an apartment.  Masha, infertile convinces Iya to bear a child for her, but with disastrous results. 

 If there is a film at TIFF about women in power over men, BEANPOLE is the one.  Iya exhibits gay feelings towards Masha.  The film has echoes of D.H. Lawrence’s novella “The Fox” where a man enters the two women farm though the results are different.  

Balagov paints a bleak look of poverty in Leningrad especially with the poor hospital conditions and the tended wounded soldiers recuperating.  An accomplished piece of filmmaking though not always an easy watch.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfWhQXg4GrA