Alexlei Balabanov (Brother) directed this period film, set in turn-of-the-century St. Petersburg, where a middle-class family and an upper-class family both become intertwined with pornographic photographer Johann (Sergei Makovetsky). Dr. Stasov (Alexandr Mezentsev) treats railroad engineer Radlov (Igor Shibanov). Johann takes an interest in the doctor's maid (Tatyana Polonskaya) and Radlov's daughter (Dinara Drukarova), Johann's sister Grunya (Darya Lesnikova) is Radlov's mistress, Johann is thwarted in his lust for Lisa -- until Grunya takes over Radlov's estate after the engineer's death. Filmed with a tint to resemble sepia photographs of the period. Shown in the Directors Fortnight section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival.~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide