Freeze, Die, Come to Life

This Russian film was originally released as Zamri Oumi Voskresni. In the years following WW II, gulag youth Valerka (Pavel Nazarov) and his prostitute mother (Yelena Popova) try to make the best of what little life has to offer them. They can expect no solace from the provisional government, which seems more concerned in promoting Stalinism than in the well-being of the citizenry. Hoping to escape his dead-end existence, Valerka goes into the tea-selling business, forming a shaky alliance with off-and-on friend Galiya (Dinara Drukarova). Their efforts to stave off harsh reality come to naught, however. The Valerka-Galiya scenes are placed in context with the dismal day-to-day lives of their neighbors, who, unlike the younger characters, have pretty much given up fighting the good fight. Director Vitaly Kanevski wisely films Freeze-Die-Come to Life in black and white, befitting the bleakness of his subject matter.~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide