Feature Film Review - Leto (Summer)

Leto (Summer)
Directed by: Kirill Serebrennikov

Written by: Serebrennikov, Michael Idov, Lily Idova
Produced by: Pavel Burya, Georgy Chumburidze
Starring: Teo Yoo, Irina Starshenbaum, Roman Bilyk
Run-time: 126 Minutes

Right from the beginning, Leto portrays a society confined through the poised and exclusive Leningrad Rock Club where Mike, portrayed by Roman Bilyk, is performing in his band. Everything about the typical atmosphere of rock music is stripped away and displayed in a concert hall where it looks like a symphony should be playing. The camera pans over to a fan holding up a sign with a heart on it; She slowly but confidently holds up the sign, knowing that it is against the rules. That is the closest thing to disorder or “rebellion” that the concert hall actually contains.

Leto, directed by Kirill Serebrennikov, is a story worth telling. The film is set in the Leningrad underground scene of Russia in the 1980s at the beginnings of Perestroika -- following the lives of real Soviet pop stars Viktor Tsoi of the band Kino and Mike Naumenko of Zoopark. The story of these artists navigating through life in all of its ups and downs is not a story just of the past -- it is a story that is entirely relevant right now. Serebrennikov was not even able to be at the Cannes Film Festival, where this film was in competition, because he was given an extended house arrest by the government due to charges related to the making of Leto.

Although there are many movies out there following the lives of musicians -- the party scene, the disorder, the love triangles, and all that is in between -- Leto comes together in a way that is wondrous and attention grabbing for the full two hours. The cinematography and editing are fascinating and unlike any movie I have ever seen. Through the musical numbers, the sporadic doodles all over the screen during the “karaoke-like” moments, and the brevity of color -- a story of life emerges. Almost all of the film is crafted in black and white. The only time color is used is in small moments of montage during songs -- the lyrics on the sides of the screen and a polaroid-like video in the center. I found myself in awe during those moments, as if I was watching a beautiful photo in motion -- not wanting to take my eyes off the screen for even a second.

Songs such as “Psycho Killer” by The Talking Heads, Iggy Pop's "The Passenger," and “All the Young Dudes” by David Bowie along with Viktor and Mike’s original music reveal both the disconnect and togetherness of Western culture and the emerging “New Wave” in Russia. While these musicians are without a doubt talented and vibrant, there is a continuous theme of discouragement among the musicians. In Mike’s communal apartment, he has a wall completely covered by records. As he looks at the records, he yearns to write music like the “rock legends” that have come before him. However, in Russia, it is not that easy. All the lyrics are to be pre-approved by a committee of the Rock Club, which takes away the freedom and voice of rock music.

Throughout the film there is a narrator that comes around, stares right at the camera, and talks. Continuously, after the fantasy moments of true, raw musical freedom, he directly speaks to the camera and says, “This never happened.” There is nothing subtle about this, and that is what is so admirable about this film. This aspect of the film intertwines both nostalgia and “what could have been.” While the intimate moments between the musicians were mesmerizing and touching -- such as the wildness and beauty of the scene on the beach, all playing together in harmony while dancing and drinking -- the beautiful chaos is then contained when they are on the stage. Their performances are mundane and predictable because of the confines of the Rock Club. The stark contrast between the two realities reveal the troubles that musicians in Russia face due to the political ideologies and restrictions put on them.

Leto is not necessarily plot-driven. There is no big moment that all of the other small moments lead to. Instead, it is more about the feeling within each moment on screen and the struggles that the musicians face in breaking artistic barriers. For example, Viktor Tsoi, portrayed by Tee Yoo, represents a musician yearning for his own voice, but constantly being told what to do. Mike represents the successful musician losing sight of what is important -- made evident in his relationship with his son and the mother of his son. The black and white properly encompasses the bleakness of the Soviet Union. The small moments of color show that musicians have the capacity to burst out of the bleakness and create something beautiful, no matter what environment they are in. Overall, this film wonderfully gives outsiders a true taste of the disheveled life of a musician brought about through the characters, music, and fascinating cinematography.