A Private Person

Colonel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Lukyanov, is going on vacation with his wife to a resort town, where his old friend, Major Alekseev, a local police officer, lives. When they meet, the old friends agree to catch up the next day, but Alekseev seems worried about something he needs to finish. That night, Alekseev goes on a mission alone, during which he is hit by a car. When Lukyanov hears about it, he offers his help to the local police as a private individual, feeling it is his duty to find out the circumstances of his friend's death. The colonel will have to determine whether it was a deliberate murder or an accident.

Directed by Aleksandr Proshkin, A Private Person leans on a strong ensemble — Anatoliy Kuznetsov, Tatyana Tashkova, Galina Polskikh — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about mystery titles of 1980.