Tania DETKINA Таня ДЕТКИНА Tania DETKINA   Russia, 2004, 80 mn  Black and white, fiction

Pakostnik ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Пакостник    Un coquin  Pakostnik

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Plot synopsis

The watchman and caretaker Pashka has been sacked. But he decides not to leave the dacha where he works, hoping to again meet Natasha, the beautiful landlady. Natasha’s father comes instead, and tells him to leave immediately. The watchman plans to blow up the dacha owners’ dog by feeding it an explosive. He stitches up a handmade bomb and a piece of meat inside a teddy bear called Aloysius and leaves the toy in the yard of the dacha before leaving. When the dacha’s owners arrive, they gradually notice that Pashka has made small changes around the house. Natasha’s husband finds out that she had an affair; and their children tell them that Pashka is still nearby, sitting in his car. Vaska, Natasha’s six-year-old son, finds the booby-trapped teddy bear. Vaska speaks with the bear the way he used to with Pashka, debating with him about the meaning of life. The next night is cold, and Natasha visits Pashka, bringing along her husband, father, the dog and a canister of diesel fuel, with a lighter in her hand. Suddenly, Vaska rushes in with the teddy bear, which could explode at any minute. Everyone survives except the dog. Pashka saves the boy and disappears.
Source : www.berlinale.de

 

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Commentaries and bibliography

Tania Detkina, The Rascal [Pakostnik] (2005), Alyssa DEBLASIO, kinokultura.com, 2005

 

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Selected in the following festivals :

- Festival Kinoblick, Stuttgart (Germany), 2005

- Berlin International Film Festival : Berlinale, Berlin (Germany), 2005

- Russian Film Festival, Riga (Latvia), 2005

- International Film Festival : Pacific Meridians, Vladivostok (Russia), 2005

- Open Russian Film Festival Kinotavr, Sochi (Russia), 2005

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