1936. The beginning

December 1936. The elite First House of Soviets, the House of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR (now "House on the Embankment"). The Soviet elite is not yet aware of the massive repressions that will take place next year. The nighttime disappearances of neighbors are regarded as transfers thereof to important tasks of the Communist party. Yakov Natanovich Brandenburgsky, a famous lawyer and employee of the Supreme Court, is included in the "album" lists of the NKVD of the USSR and, being a creative person, finds a way to save his family and himself from "night arrest".

Directed by Sasha Paracels, 1936. The beginning leans on a strong ensemble — Andrey Smolyakov, Andrey Rudensky, Nikolay Naumov — 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 2021.