“Ugliness is beauty that cannot be contained within the soul.” - Boris Ryzhy

Russian poet Boris Ryzhy was handsome, gifted and famous - so why did he take his own life? A quest for the answer sends filmmaker Aliona van der Horst to the industrial neighbourhood of Yekaterinenburg. Conversations with neighbours, family and friends piece together a picture of a highly complex artist, and create a penetrating image of a Perestroika generation who lost all certainties.

Winner of the Silver Wolf award at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam.

“Van der Horst manages to immerse the viewer in his world, while at the same time giving us a glimpse of the Russian soul.” - Thomas White, IDFA jury member