Elena

Russian writer and director Andrey Zvyagintsev's third feature explores class warfare in contemporary Russia. When an elderly nurse married to her wealthy patient finds her inheritance threatened, it leads her to a desperate solution. Zvyagintsev delivers his best film with this brilliant character study that serves as a political and social commentary on the difference between the rich and the poor. Nadezhda Markina gives a nuanced and complex performance as the title character forced to commit an immoral act to protect her family. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.