One Step Beyond

Short feature film, filmed in 1988. One of the first works of the film director Alexei Balabanov, at that time an assistant at the Sverdlovsk Film Studio. The film is a course work, filmed while studying at the Higher Courses of Scriptwriters and Directors; the materials of the film became the basis for the thesis work of the director, the film "Nastya and Egor" (1989).

Directed by Aleksei Balabanov, One Step Beyond leans on a strong ensemble — Egor Belkin, Nastya Poleva, Olga Belyayeva — 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 drama titles of 1988.